I'll Feed Your Dreams
by Savvy Sammy-13
Summary: Sequel to I'll Starve Your Fears! Make sure to read it before this one! The world is getting back on its feet, but does that mean that Layna and Daryl's struggles are over? Walkers aren't their only threat. Rated M. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Thanks so much for checking out the sequel to "I'll Starve Your Fears." Once again, I got the title of this one from Blake Shelton's song "Over". I was pleasantly surprised at the positive feedback i got for the last one! This is definitely a little different, but i promise it will be just as drama and Daryl filled. Walkers definitely aren't the only threats._

_Please review and let me know what you think!_

"Momma! Daddy!" Gracie's voice pierced Daryl's sleep as he felt her light weight on the foot of the bed. Before he even opened his eyes, he felt her snuggling in between him and Layna.

"Just go back to sleep," he murmured as she slipped underneath the covers.

As soon as she went still, he felt her soft grasp on his arm. "But daddy, I'm scared."

Daryl lazily opened his eyes, seeing the nightlight streetlamps piercing through the cracks in the blinds that covered their window.

"Why?" Daryl whispered, as he tried not to wake Layna.

"I had a bad dream," she whispered back.

"Well it's alright now. Just go back on to sleep before you wake your momma."

He heard Gracie let out a soft sigh as she snuggled up against him, close enough that he could smell the shampoo in her hair from her usual bedtime bath.

Daryl rolled over, forgetting for a second that Gracie was in their bed. Sunlight was now pouring through the cheap, plastic blinds and illuminating their small room. He looked over at Gracie who was still in deep sleep. She was more on his side of the bed than Layna's. Her head of brown ringlets laid on his pillow. She was sleeping peacefully, whatever had scared her the night before, totally absent from her mind now. A few months shy of her fifth birthday, Gracie looked more and more like Layna everyday. She had the same soft features and hair color. Everything was similar except eye color. He remembered when Layna had told him to expect her eye color to change, and she was right. Her eyes changed from the dark blue that matched Layna's to green. He hadn't told Layna, but Gracie's eyes reminded him of his momma's eyes. He didn't remember much about her, but he remembered her eyes. They were always so gentle, totally opposite of his daddy's. Every time he looked at Gracie he was reminded of his momma and Layna both. It was odd that she had seemingly gotten the best traits from his side of the family, not that there was much good to obtain. He didn't like to talk about his side of the family with her. He was always trying not to bring up anything that could make her think about Merle, but he had a feeling that he was always in the back of her mind, just like he was always in the back of his.

Daryl looked around the small bedroom that Layna kept spotless, just like the other rooms. It was hard to believe that they had been staying in the city for nearly five years. The government was still keeping people in certain areas, making sure that those who had gotten the immunizations stayed disinfected. Unlike the earlier days of the outbreak, the city was no longer a death trap. It was cleaned out first, and then heavily guarded. Fences were put up around the entire city, keeping out walkers, and checkpoints were added every few miles. It was hard, especially at first, being stuck within a certain perimeter but the good outweighed the bad. They were given all the supplies they needed, and with Gracie being little they needed a lot. Their guns had been taken up and placed in a sort of "storage". They were promised that they would be able to get them when they were released on their own. Daryl had his doubts, but they hadn't needed anything to protect themselves while they were here so far.

They were living inside a fortress. It was as close to normal life as they had lived since the outbreak. There were businesses starting up, doctors, and even teachers. They were working on starting a school. Five years after the military had installed this idea and they were still bringing in straggling survivors. At first, he'd been worried about them bringing more people in, but nobody that had been brought in seemed the least bit threatening. Maybe it was because there was no more competition over life and death or food and water. They had a surplus of supplies.

Supposedly every state had its set up just like here in Georgia, so he hoped that the world was finally getting back on its feet. It was uncomfortable staying within the city limits when he had grown up practically in the sticks his whole life, but he stayed for Layna and Gracie, intent on keeping his promise. Before he knew it, living in this kind of structure had just become an easy habit. He knew that he and Layna were giving Gracie as normal a life as possible. Since they were some of the first ones to arrive, they had gotten placed in a hotel. When the hotels were filled, they began converting other areas to housing but they were lucky enough to have two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living room that connected to a small kitchen all to the three of them.

After all he and Layna had been through, it surprised him that they were now playing house. He liked it when it was just him, Layna, and Gracie. They had privacy. He was just anxiously awaiting the day when they would be given the okay to leave the city limits, barbed wire fences, and guard towers and return back to the country when it was declared safe.

* * *

Layna opened her eyes a little at the sound of Daryl and Gracie talking beside her. They were whispering, obviously trying not to wake her.

Layna tried to stop the smile she felt her lips forming into, and kept her eyes shut, keeping it a secret that she was awake. Listening to Gracie and Daryl always made her day.

"But I love you more," Gracie said softly.

"Naw, I don't think so," Daryl said quickly.

"Stop bein silly," Gracie said teasingly.

"You better be telling your momma how much you love her, seein how she's awake now," Daryl said, surprising Layna.

Layna opened her eyes, wondering what had given her away.

"I love you momma," Gracie said as she turned her face away from Daryl.

"I love you too sweetheart," Layna said as she sat up.

She reached over and touched the long brown curls of the little girl who had already done the inevitable. She'd stolen Daryl Dixon's heart just like she had hers.

Gracie climbed back over Daryl's legs and jumped off the edge of the bed, scratching her head as she walked into the living room.

"Wish I had her hair and happy attitude in the mornings," Layna murmured.

"Why? There ain't nothing wrong with your hair."

Daryl leaned over and kissed her, crawling over to her side of the bed.

Layna leaned back as his lips trailed down to her neck.

He straddled her with his knees as he moved his lips back to hers.

"We can't do this right now," Layna whispered, as she pulled away from him and tried to sit up.

"I know," he whispered back. "But I wish we could."

Layna pushed him away and smiled. She wanted him as bad as he wanted her, but with Gracie it was harder. They'd been sneaking time together in the shower or while Gracie was asleep, but it got harder as Gracie got older.

"She's gonna start school when they get it all set up," Layna reminded him. "I can't believe she's old enough to go to school."

Daryl nodded back at her.

Layna climbed off the bed as Gracie came back in the room, a glass of milk in her hands.

"Can I go to Aunt Lori's today?" Gracie asked softly. "She told me..You remember..She said I could whenever I wanted too."

"Let her go to Aunt Lori's," Daryl said quickly as a sly smile came across his face.

Layna turned and smirked at him, knowing exactly why he wanted her to go.

"We'll see baby," Layna said softly as she walked over to the window and raised the blinds. As usual, people were just coming out of their rooms and guards were walking around ensuring that there were no disturbances.

"These guards walking around is definitely something I'll never get used to," Layna murmured as she crossed her arms against her chest.

"Me neither," Daryl muttered from behind her. "I'm ready to get the hell out of here."

"Daryl," Layna muttered as she turned back to look at him. She pointed at Gracie who was still drinking her glass of milk.

"Shit, I mean yeah," he said quickly. "I meant heck."

Layna tried to hide the smile on her face. At least he was trying.

* * *

Daryl stepped out of their room and walked down the hall to the elevator, a pack of cigarettes in his pocket. He passed by the rooms that belonged to everyone else in the group. The families stuck with each other for the most part, except for Maggie and Glen. They'd gotten their own room recently after getting married to keep Hershel happy, but they weren't the only lovebirds. Carl and Sophia who were now well in their teens seemed to be a match made in heaven, although he was pretty sure it had been predictable for as long as they'd been around each other.

The singles of the group, had moved on and made new friends, but were always loyal to the original group. Daryl never would have imagined the odd assortment of people who had been thrown into the mix with each other would have stayed a seemingly close knit family.

He stepped out into the parking lot of the hotel, passing by a few guards who were joking about something, in his attempt to find a quiet place to smoke.

He stopped and leaned against a railing, pulling out his pack and lighter as he spotted Glen pacing nervously a few feet away.

"What's up with you?" Daryl called out as he took a puff of his cigarette.

Glen jumped at the sound of his voice and quickly headed in his direction.

"I got a problem, Daryl," Glen said nervously, as he motioned to Daryl's pack of cigarettes still in his hand.

"What is it now?" Daryl grumbled as he held it out for him.

"Maggie might be pregnant and Hershel's gonna freak."

Daryl raised his eyebrows. "Well ya'll are married now, so?"

"But if she is, it happened before we got married. He isn't stupid Daryl," Glen said nervously as he took a cigarette out of the pack.

"Uh oh," Daryl said with a laugh. "Daddy-in-law's gonna be pissed."

"Well what do I do?"

"I don't fuckin know, why are you askin me all this deep shit?"

"Well you're kinda like a dad now," Glen said as he looked around nervously. "As weird as it is to think of it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daryl growled.

"I just…I.." Glen stuttered nervously. "It's just different seeing you around Gracie. You changed."

He watched Glen fix his gaze behind him and turned to see Layna stepping outside, holding hands with Gracie.

"I'm heading over to Lori's with Gracie," She called out to him.

"Alright," Daryl said quickly, definitely excited that he and Layna would be getting alone time.

"Bye daddy!" Gracie called out as she waved.

Daryl waved back and Layna smiled as she leaned in to say something to Gracie before they turned back toward the hotel.

He watched the two of them go back inside the hotel before he turned back to Glen who was biting down on his bottom lip in attempt to stop smiling.

"Just shut the heck up Glen."

"Heck?" Glen asked in amazement. " Since when does Daryl Dixon say shut the heck up?" Glen laughed.

"Shut the fuck up then Glen," Daryl said quickly, feeling as if he redeemed himself. He reached over and grabbed the unlit cigarette out of Glen's hand and turned back to go inside and wait for Layna to get back.

"Hey I was gonna smoke that," Glen called after him.

"You don't even smoke." Daryl grumbled.

"Well I was gonna start!"

_Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Sorry for the week wait. This chapter is mainly a little fluff. Next chapter will have more action. Pretty please review!_

Daryl looked around their little home. He wished Layna was already back. Gone were the unsure emotions and worry between the two of them when they had sex. He didn't feel like he had to evaluate every move he made. Layna wasn't the same damaged girl. She was strong, proving that time and time again. She took care of Gracie as if the whole thing with Merle hadn't even happened and he respected her for that. There was more beneath the pretty face and attractive materialistic aspects of her. Those, he knew had to make her appealing to any man, but it was her inner strength and passion that fueled his fascination in her even more.

* * *

Layna tried to hold back a smile as she headed back toward their room. Alone time with Daryl was definitely something she hadn't had in a while. If it was even possible, she'd found herself falling even more in love with him, despite their lack of regular, undisturbed intimacy sessions. The way he had taken on the role of being a dad to Gracie, even though she wasn't really his made her feel as lucky as could be.

Layna opened the door and slipped into the room, locking the door back behind her. As she turned back, Daryl cornered her, crashing his lips against hers quickly. She let his body press hers against the door, meeting his lips with the same desperation. The very touch of his lips on hers and his rough hands trailing and massaging down her body sent her reeling for what she knew was coming. He moved quickly, tugging on her shirt as his tongue danced with hers. Layna pulled her mouth away from his quickly, trying to get a few words out.

"Hey," she only got a word out before he crashed his lips against hers once again.

"Daryl," Layna said desperately as she pushed him away as gentle as she could while still getting his attention.

"What?" he asked throatily as his blue eyes searched hers.

"We still have condoms right?"

"Mmmhmm," he murmured as he moved his lips to her neck.

Layna knew she was in no way ready to have another baby, so they'd been being as cautious as they could.

She relaxed, laying back against the door as she enjoyed his heavy breaths and the slight nips of his teeth on her neck. His hands roamed her body, stopping at the small of her back and pulling her body closer to his.

"I love you so much," Layna moaned softly, when he pulled away to look at her face. She pulled him in for a kiss as he reached down to pull her legs up. Layna wrapped her legs around his waist, ending their kiss quickly to suck and pull playfully at his bottom lip. As she pulled away she studied his reactions, focusing her blue eyes on his. He only gave her a second before he pulled her away from the wall, one hand behind her back and the other supporting her legs as he carried her bridal style toward the bedroom. Layna could feel a smile plastered on her face as she wrapped an arm around his neck. He carefully tossed her onto the bed with a grunt and turned back to his dresser on the wall opposite of the bed. He jerked open a drawer as Layna caught her breath and scooted up to lean on the pillows. Daryl tossed a foil wrapper to her and shut the drawer back. She let it land beside her on the bed and watched him turn back to her.

He crawled back onto the foot of the bed, straddling her feet as his hands roamed up her legs.

He reached up, quickly grabbing her hips and pulling her farther down the bed to meet him in one urgent motion. She felt her heartbeat quicken, as he proved his strength to her easily and effortlessly.

"God, Daryl," Layna said breathlessly. "We have all day ya know."

He tilted her chin up, ravishing the soft skin of her neck with his mouth. She could tell by the way his hands were already working on unbuttoning her jeans that he wasn't in the mood for cuddling.

"I know," he drawled. "But I want you so bad." He kissed her quickly in between words. "If we get started now…think about how many times we can do this."

Layna smiled again, breaking their kiss.

She lifted her hips up as he tugged her jeans off. As he tossed them to the floor, she pulled her own shirt over her head. He followed her lead, pulling his shirt quickly over his head and moving quickly to unclasp her bra. It, along with Daryl's jeans, soon added to the pile of clothes on the floor.

He cupped her breasts as he nibbled on her neck again. Upon realizing that it was her weak spot, he seemed to use it against her every time. His kisses trailed down her neck to her chest. She could feel herself getting wet and he hadn't even touched her below the waist. She was rendered helpless already, at the mercy of Daryl, who seemed to love every minute of it. He brushed his lips over hers, pulling away just before they touched. She could feel a dull ache inside her. She wanted him inside her already. He grinded against her, cloth on cloth, and it sent her squirming beneath his body.

"Daryl," She moaned, surprised at how quickly the tables had turned. It hadn't taken him long to turn her on as much, if not more, than he was minutes before.

"I love you so much," he whispered gruffly in her ear, sending another round of emotions coursing through her body.

"Please?" she moaned softly, unwilling to wait any longer.

Daryl's hands ran down her body, stopping at the waistband of her underwear. He slipped a few fingers underneath and stopped, his eyes focusing on hers again.

"Daryl, you're doing this on purpose," Layna whined.

He smiled as he slipped her underwear off quickly.

"What happened to you wantin us to take our time?" he teased.

"I changed my fuckin mind," Layna blurted out.

Daryl's hand moved between her legs, gently rubbing a little, as he kissed her harder. He pulled away and slipped a finger inside her. Layna felt her breath catch in her throat. She wanted more. She knew she was ready for him.

"Daryl," she said breathily. "Please just put the condom on."

He laughed a little at her impatience as he rolled off of her and slipped off his underwear. Layna could feel her skin already dampened with sweat. Her heart pounded in her chest as he hurriedly ripped open the little foil wrapper and slipped the condom on.

Layna watched him quickly position himself between her legs, and felt his tip rubbing against her. She bit down on her bottom lip in anticipation, waiting and waiting for what seemed like forever.

"Daryl come on!" Layna finally gasped, feeling as if she would go crazy because of his teasing. As soon as she said his name, he slipped into her quickly, filling her all at once.

"Oh my God!" she blurted out. His lips were on hers once again, but she pulled away, only able to focus on him inside her. Their breathing became erratic as he pulled out, only to slam back into her. He buried his face into her neck, sucking on her soft skin as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. She squinted her eyes shut, and found herself pulling him closer to her with her legs. Each thrust seemed to be deeper than the last, sending moans that she couldn't hold back, erupting from her. She moved her hips to meet his as she listened to his heavy breathing mixing with hers.

"Oh Daryl," she said quickly, blurting it out right before his lips crashed against hers. He grunted a little with each thrust that became harder and more frantic.

"Daryl," Layna panted.

"Shhh… just…hold up," Daryl grunted desperately. "Quit sayin my name!"

Layna was close, but she could tell that Daryl was about to lose it. She clenched onto him tighter. She was so close that she could almost feel herself letting go.

"Open your eyes, Layna, look at me," Daryl ordered.

Layna flicked her eyes open, meeting his intense stare immediately. It hit her at that very moment. A wave of pure ecstasy enveloped her body, as she felt herself tightening around him. He came immediately after her, groaning as he leaned his face into her neck. She turned into a quivering mess underneath him while he spasmed inside her. When he finished, he finally pulled out and lifted his head off of her shoulder. Layna leaned up and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"I think that one was worth the wait," she said breathily.

* * *

Daryl looked over at Layna from the bathroom as he slipped his underwear back on and walked back to the bed. She was staring up at the ceiling, chewing a little on her bottom lip and seeming to be in deep thought. His eyes trailed down the form her body made, covered with the thin sheet.

"What are you thinkin about?" he finally asked as he climbed back in the bed.

She propped herself on her elbow and turned to face him. Her now messy hair fell over her bare shoulders, covering the shape of her breasts that had just peeked from the sheet.

"Just something Lori told me when I dropped Gracie off."

"What'd she tell you?"

"She said that Rick overheard some guards talking about the cleanup crews. They say they've cleaned out all the houses now outside of the city," Layna explained.

"What do you mean cleaned em out?" Daryl asked.

"I'm guessing they've gotten the bodies out."

"Oh, right," he said quickly.

"I just wanna get out of the city for awhile. Rick said he figures that they may start letting people leave soon," Layna said hopefully.

"I hope they do," Daryl grumbled. "We're leavin this crap behind as soon as we can."

Layna smiled back at him. "I'm just ready to live in a normal house with you and Gracie. It seems like we've barely started our life together here."

Daryl looked into Layna's blue eyes, as he thought about it. He had been ready for that ever since the moment they'd stepped foot into the city.

"Yeah, I know," he said softly as he propped his hands behind his head and looked back up at the ceiling.

"I wanna go back to my house. Get pictures of my parents and everybody," Layna murmured. "For closure I guess. God, I didn't even ask Lori how they died. I was too big of a wimp to get the truth, I guess."

Daryl sat back up to face her.

"You're not a wimp."

She smiled back weakly. "I just wish my parents could have gotten the chance to meet Gracie."

Daryl nodded.

"And you too of course," she added quickly. "They would have liked you."

Daryl let out a sarcastic laugh. "Oh yeah."

"I'm serious," she said softly.

"Ya know, I kind of wish you could have met my momma," he said, although he figured he would regret it. "Well I mean I wish she could have met you. She was a really good person."

Layna smiled. "I wish I could have met her too. Obviously you took after her."

Daryl could only imagine his momma's reaction to him finding someone like Layna. She would have been perfect in his momma's eyes, minus the age difference. She would have been shocked about their relationship; but probably not so shocked about the whole situation with Merle, just disappointed and upset that it happened.

Layna laid back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling again. He was thankful that she didn't pry about anything. She never asked him anything that would make him uncomfortable, so he wasn't surprised when she didn't ask about his momma.

"I keep wishing that this outbreak never happened so my parents would still be here, but then I realize if it wouldn't have happened I wouldn't have you…..or Gracie," Layna said quietly. "I can't imagine my life without the two of you."

_Please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: I never did a disclaimer thingy so here goes. I don't own anything from The Walking Dead or it's characters. _

_**Pleeease review and enjoy! When I get reviews it motivates me to find time to update quicker!_

"Okay attention everyone. Some of you have already found out that we've done sweep throughs and gotten rid of the infected. I know that all of you are eager to get back to your houses or collect your possessions. We have proposed a plan that may help us while it helps you, but you all have to be willing to follow the rules."

Layna shifted her weight, tired from standing already as the man flipped a page in the packet he was reading from.

"I can't see," Gracie said softly as she tugged on Layna's jeans.

"Shhh, just listen," Layna suggested as she turned her attention back to the man dressed in camouflage who was giving his speech. The huge crowd of people stood together in the middle of the city, so quiet that she was sure they would hear a pen drop. The guards had invited the a whole housing unit or hotel to come at a time, in attempt to minimize the size of the groups.

"We will be allowing…," the man began again.

"But momma," Gracie tried again.

Daryl looked down at her. "C'mere." He motioned for her, and Gracie let him lift her into his arms.

He held her easily, despite her almost being five years old now. Layna watched Gracie strain her neck to see the man speaking at the podium.

"You all will be allowed to visit your houses and gather possessions if you'd like. It will help us in the long run, by giving everyone an idea of where they will be going when you are all given the okay to leave this facility. It will also almost be a test run so to speak. We will only allow groups at a time, so you must be patient if you do not get to go right away. You will have to meet with us first, let us know the location of your house and we will be taking buses out by routes. This procedure will be almost like school bus procedure. This will be helping us as much, if not more than it helps you."

A murmur of hushed whispers erupted from the crowd.

"I can't explain the importance of following our rules. It could be the difference between life and death. We have constant military helicopters and military men and women patrolling the areas making sure there are no more infected out there. If you run off, you can get mistaken for being infected. We inform them of where you all are going to be and they avoid the area. You must understand it is all a precaution. Now, you will be divided into groups depending on the location of your homes. We will have points where we drop you out and come back to get you. It should all be a smooth operation. We ask that you do not bring children with you, and upon admission back into the city you will be required to have a quick blood test or health check over.

A high pitched voice and crackle of a walkie talkie interrupted the speaker, and caught the attention of the entire audience.

"We have a code 103 at the security gates," the voice was magnified by the microphone.

A few panicked voices broke through the silence.

"Don't worry everyone," the man said quickly as he motioned to a few guards standing off to the side. Code103 is nothing to worry about. No need to panic. It's just a new survivor that is out of control. I can understand how this whole military setup can be a little unnerving to newcomers."

"I can't believe they're still bringing people in," Layna murmured as she turned to Daryl.

"I know," Daryl muttered. "But these are probably the people who've been avoidin' the military or hiding out from them."

Layna watched a few of the military personnel head in the direction of the security gates that led into the city, obviously going to take care of the unruly newcomer.

"Like I was saying," the man began again. "We will have guards dropped off with you to make sure of no disturbances. This is a personal risk, I hope you understand. We just want to encourage you all to go back to your normal lives as soon as allowed and want to make sure we help you get back to that point. Hopefully, soon we will be able to allow you to permanently live out of the city."

Layna watched the speaker take a few papers from another official looking military guard and turn back to the podium.

"We are proud to announce that this same progression has been made all over the country. State and Country borders are still closed as we make sure to eliminate all of the infected and keep areas contained in case of another outbreak, but we hope they will be open soon. Any other important information will be given to you as it comes. Expect us to soon allow you the chance to visit your homes. That is all for now. Please continue to help us maintain this facility as orderly and effectively by your cooperation."

* * *

Daryl sat uncomfortably beside Layna on the day their route was planned. She knew that dealing with people in such close proximity wasn't something he enjoyed. The bus was buzzing with the soft chatter of everyone excited about returning to their houses. Layna had been surprised to learn that Daryl had lived not far from where she had. She watched the last few people trickle into the bus and take seats.

"Maybe we should have waited and gone tomorrow," Layna suggested. "I hate going on the same day that Gracie had to start school."

"She'll be fine," Daryl said. "We'll probably be back before she gets out anyway."

Layna smiled and slipped her hand into his. "I can't believe she just started school. She's growing up so fast. Before we know it she's gonna be a teenager and have boyfriends and want to drive."

"Damn," Daryl muttered. "We gotta make a rule or somethin. No dating till she's like thirty."

"You really think that'll work?" Layna asked.

"Probably not. I mean look at her. She's probably got all them little boys chasing her already."

"She's five, Daryl."

"And she already looks like you. Wait till she's like teenager," Daryl shook his head. "We'll have to lock her up."

Layna laughed as she turned to look out the window.

* * *

When the bus finally stopped, a few guards stood up to explain procedures and rules again.

"My house is a little ways that way," Layna whispered as the guards continued with their repetitive speech. Daryl looked in the direction she had pointed. He didn't see any houses, only a road surrounded by woods.

When they were finally allowed off the bus, a small group followed them down the road with a few guards trailing behind.

"I don't like this," Daryl grumbled under his breath.

Layna nodded at him. "I don't either. I feel like we're in prison or something. Like we're being relocated."

Daryl watched her chew nervously on her bottom lip as they walked down the country road.

"Mine is the next house up there," Layna pointed up the road. Daryl looked ahead, noticing a white mailbox protruding from an open area.

When her yard came into view the first thing he saw was overgrown flowerbeds that had flowers blooming left and right. Layna stopped, taking a moment to take in everything. Daryl's eyes skimmed passed the flowerbeds to a tire swing on an oak tree directly in front of the house. The house was brick with a white rail porch. It looked like the average country home to him. Layna started walking again, stepping through the weeds as she cut into the yard. Daryl followed her, giving her a little space as he took a slower pace. He imagined that the yard was probably neat and near perfect when she lived there. Layna stepped onto the porch and placed her hand on the doorknob, stopping to look back at him before she opened it.

"Here goes nothing," she murmured.

As soon as the door was opened, a wave of stale, shut in air hit their faces.

He followed Layna into the house. He automatically sensed that it was very homey in its time. The living room was decorated in a southern charm kind of way, obviously with a woman's touch. The first thing Layna went to were a few shelves of picture frames.

Daryl studied the picture frames arranged in patterns on the walls before he let his eyes drop to the shelves. They ranged from smiling family portraits to baby pictures. He recognized her and Lori automatically in most of the pictures. Her parents were also in a lot of the pictures. He moved in closer to look at a more recent looking family portrait. Lori and Layna were sitting on an old wooden swing with their parents standing behind them. They were all smiling. The woman he assumed was her mother had brown hair like the color of Layna's and Lori's but it was shorter. Their dad had a short almost gray beard and black hair that was mixed with gray flecks.

Layna moved to his side, clutching a few pictures to her chest.

"I miss them so much," she sighed.

Daryl followed Layna throughout the house as she stopped for a few moments to look in the rooms or stopped to pack things into a small backpack she'd gotten out of her room. She finally stopped in the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. He watched her wipe her teary eyes a little. He hated seeing her upset. He hadn't seen her upset since Gracie had been born. Before that, they seemed to deal with tragedy after tragedy. Seeing her eyes well with tears only brought back the emotions he felt then.

She quickly pulled her wavy brown hair into a messy bun, not bothering to pull back the little fly a way fringes. Her eyes scanned the counter and

she picked up a sliver heart shaped necklace. She carefully unclasped it, and held it up to her neck.

"Can you hook this for me?" she asked softly. Daryl gently took the ends of the chain from her and hooked it around her neck, all the while staring at her soft, perfect skin.

As he lowered his hands, she admired the necklace in the mirror. He leaned down and kissed her neck softly, looking back at her reflection in the mirror as he pulled away.

"My mom gave me this," she murmured as she caught his eye.

"It looks pretty on you," he said, attempting to raise her spirits. She gave him a weak smile.

"I think I've gotten everything I need. We can go to your house. This isn't helping me staying here. It only makes me feel terrible."

"You can just stay in the bus. You ain't gotta come with me inside," Daryl suggested.

"You came with me to mine. I'll come with you," Layna argued.

* * *

Layna followed Daryl down the gravel driveway. His trailer, much like her house, was almost totally overgrown by untamed hedges and tall grass.

She looked around the yard, noticing a few rusty cars and trucks by the edge of the woods. Their parts were laying around them.

"Merle always had big ideas. He thought he was gonna fix up all them piece of crap cars and sell em," Daryl explained as he turned back to look at her.

"Oh," Layna said softly, turning her attention back to the trailer.

She followed him up the crudely built wooden steps. The paint chipped front door had deep scratch marks on the bottom, almost as if a dog or some other animal had begged to get in. Daryl stopped before he opened the door.

"You don't have to come in if you don't want too."

She placed her hand on his arm. "I want too. You came in with me, I'll come with you."

Daryl pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

Layna surveyed the ransacked living room as she stepped in beside him. The brown carpet was covered with newspapers and knocked over beer and whiskey bottles. All of the cushions had been pulled out of the tan couch in the corner and laid scattered in the floor.

"Do you think the cleanup crews did this when they were checking the houses?" Layna finally asked as she looked away from the mess that littered the room.

"I don't know," Daryl mumbled. "It wasn't clean when me and Merle left it but it sure didn't look like this."

Layna watched as Daryl stepped over some of the trash on the floor and made his way over to a blue recliner in the corner. He bent down and picked up an opened and half full whiskey bottle that sat beside it. He looked down at it in his hands and turned back to face her.

"I don't know who was here, but somebody was."

Layna shrugged. "Anybody could've bunked here ya know? We stayed in people's houses when we were trying to stay safe."

"Well they found their way to Merle's old stash," Daryl muttered.

Layna's eyes drifted to a table against one of the walls. Some of its picture frames had been knocked over, and she could tell some of them had been broken. She walked closer to it, sensing Daryl moving closer too her as she did.

"This was your mom?" Layna asked softly as she picked up one of the frames.

"Yeah," Daryl answered her.

"She was so pretty," Layna murmured.

"I know. I don't know how she got mixed up with my daddy."

The woman had a soft smile, and her dark brown hair hung a little passed her shoulders. Her face shone as she looked up from the baby in her lap.

"Was this you?"

"Nah, it was Merle," Daryl answered quickly.

Layna studied the tiny baby. It was hard to think of Merle being so innocent and small. She let her eyes drift to the other pictures. Most of them were of his mom. There was an obvious age difference between the pictures. In some of them she looked tired, almost sad, but her bright green eyes always held the same intensity. Layna stared into her eyes, unable to shake away the same thought that repeated in her mind.

"I swear Gracie has these same eyes," She finally murmured softly.

"I know. I been thinkin that."

Layna carefully placed the picture back on the table.

"Why didn't you tell me they had the same eyes before this?" She asked.

She watched Daryl slowly reach over and pick up another frame. It was a picture of a man. He had defined cheekbones, and a lanky figure. His eyes were dark as he focused on the camera.

Layna studied Daryl's face, noticing the subtle changes as he looked down at the picture in his hands.

"Daryl?" she murmured softly as she moved closer to him. "You know you can talk to me about them right?"

Daryl plunked the frame back down. "Okay."

"I just don't want you feeling like you can't talk to me about them. I've told you about mine."

"Layna, your family and mine were complete opposites," Daryl muttered.

Layna stopped, unsure of what to say.

She looked away and scanned a few crooked frames on the wall. One in particular caught her eye. She recognized Merle right away. He was young, but she automatically knew it was him. She assumed the baby had to be Daryl. Merle was sitting beside him smiling for the camera.

The emotions hit Layna almost as hard as when she went inside her own house. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling her skin crawl just at the sight of Merle's pictures.

"Are you alright?" Daryl's voice broke her thoughts.

Layna turned back to face him as he eyed her suspiciously.

"Oh yeah," she said quickly.

"I'm gonna walk through real quick and we'll leave," He suggested. "Just stay here."

Layna nodded as she watched him disappear into the hallway. She swallowed hard as she looked at the mess that littered the floor. It was weird being in the house, and not just because it made her think of Merle. She could see the pain it caused Daryl just by coming back to it. It was obvious there were a lot of bad memories. Layna carefully stepped over the trash on the floor and stepped into the kitchen. There was a small wooden table with a few of its chairs knocked over, along with more random objects strewn around. Her eyes fell on a pile of old mail and magazines stacked on the counter, but as she moved closer to look she noticed an opened can of something by the sink. Layna stepped forward, realizing that it was a can of beans. She leaned in and sniffed it.

"This isn't old," she murmured under her breath. Whoever had eaten it had spilled nearly half of it. They'd left a mess all over the counter. As she turned away form the mess, she nearly jumped when there was a sudden noise in the direction Daryl had gone. Layna hurried down the hall and into the first room she saw.

"Shit!" Daryl yelled as she burst into the room.

"Sorry, I was just checking on you," Layna trailed off as she observed the mess of his bedroom. It was turned upside down. The mattress was flipped off of the bed, and clothes and odds and ends objects were strewn across the room.

"What the hell?" She murmured breathlessly.

The only thing still sitting upright on the dresser was another bottle of opened whiskey.

"I just don't fuckin know," he muttered. "What the hell is this?" He asked as he pointed at a hole in the wall only a few inches from the floor.

"Who the hell would come in here to trash the place and kick a hole in the wall?" Layna asked.

Daryl chewed on his thumb nail as he looked around the room.

"I don't fuckin know but let's just get the hell outta here. There ain't nothing I want outta here anyways."

He brushed passed Layna, leaving her standing in the doorway. She studied the mess, imagining what kind of people must have been staying in his house. It didn't make sense to her that people would come in and trash the place. Why would they do it? For fun?

When Layna turned and stepped out of the room, she noticed Daryl as he slipped into the bedroom at the end of the hall. She waited a moment, taking a chance to look at the trashed room one more time, almost as if it would explain itself to her, before she headed down the hall to the room he had slipped into. She squinted into the darkened room, trying to get a peek as she came closer, but she met Daryl face to face as he quickly hurried out of the room.

"What's wrong?" Layna asked.

"Nothin, it was Merle's room. You don't wanna go in there," Daryl said as he shut the door behind him.

"Oh," Layna said quickly.

"Let's just go," he muttered as he nudged her forward. She walked ahead of him, leading the way out of the hall and back into the living room. She stopped at the table and picked up a picture of his mom.

"Can we take this?" She asked softly, totally unsure of what response she would get.

"Yeah," he answered her quickly. "Let's just get outta here."

Layna let Daryl hurry her back out of the house as she put the picture frame in her small backpack. She led the way back down the steps and into the overgrown yard. She stopped as Daryl turned back to look at the trailer. It was hurting her to see him distraught. He always kept his emotions in check and hidden, but even he couldn't hide the emotion that flashed across his face. Layna stepped closer to him, gently reaching out to touch his arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"They said she did it on purpose," Daryl murmured.

Layna looked into his face, studying his now pained expression.

"Did what, Daryl?"

"Killed herself, but I know she didn't," he said, still staring back at the trailer enveloped by shrubs.

Layna slipped her hand in his, making him take his eyes away from the home that had housed so many bad memories.

"How old were you?" she asked, as his eyes met hers.

"Eight….and Merle was about Fifteen. He really went out of conrol then."

Layna squinted back at the trailer,

"I know she wouldn't have left us on purpose."

"What happened?" she asked softly

"I can't remember all that much about it. I've done thought about it so much that it just gets blurry. It was her medicine. I don't know what all she took, but it was for nerves and stuff I think. Living with Daddy was hard, but she always took care of us. I think she accidentally took too many. She had to of. She wouldn't leave us all alone with him on purpose, but Merle said she did it on purpose. He said she didn't love us."

Layna swallowed hard as she felt a lump growing in her throat.

"Daddy got a little more out of control every day, and Merle did too. He picked up all Daddy's bad habits."

"Daryl," Layna murmured. "I'm so sorry."

"No, I'm still sorry."

"Don't start with that again," she said quickly.

"No, I fuckin let him boss me around treat me like shit just like Daddy did. I should've stood up to him. Kept him from hurtin you."

"Making yourself feel guilty isn't helping either of us. I thought we moved on from all of that," Layna complained. "Promise me that we're finally moving on from it. It's been over five years, Daryl. He's gone and we don't have anything to worry about."Daryl stared back at her. His blue eyes locked on hers.

"C'mon, we're gonna get left," Layna said quickly.

_Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Thank you guys for reviewing and adding me to your alert and favorite lists! _

Layna rolled over, realizing that Daryl wasn't in bed. She reached out and touched the empty space, noticing that the sheet was cool to the touch. She eased out of bed and moved toward the window. The sun was already pouring into the room from the cheap blinds. She raised them, glancing out into the parking lot outside. The usual guards were in their places, making sure everything was running smoothly. She stepped out of the bedroom, stopping in the doorway of Gracie's room. She leaned on the doorframe as she smiled at her daughter fast asleep in her own bed. Gracie was bundled in her sheet with all of her other blankets kicked to the floor. Layna couldn't help but remember all the times her own mom would come into her room to cover her back up because she had done the same thing. She only stayed for a moment before she quietly cracked the door behind her and headed to see where Daryl was.

Layna yawned as she walked into the living room, peeking into the kitchen to see if he was there. Her eyes fell on a napkin and pen laying in the middle of the counter. She snatched it up as she read the words written on it.

_Went back out to the trailer. Didn't wanna wake you. I'll be back later. I just needed to go back by myself. _

Layna laid the napkin back down, as she tapped her fingers along the countertop. She wondered when he had decided to go alone. Had he not told her before because he didn't want her to tell him not too? She didn't understand how going back was going to help him.

* * *

Daryl stepped back into the living room. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling away that had kept him awake all night. He'd argued with himself over and over. Although there was no way he felt it to be possible, everything he'd seen the day before had challenged that. That was why he had to go back alone. He needed time to think and look around. Layna didn't need to be dragged back into the mess or even know what he was thinking. He knew it would only worry her, and if he was wrong, which he hoped to God he was. He would feel stupid for allowing the past to plague them again. Daryl listened carefully as he walked back down the hall to Merle's bedroom. Somebody had been in the house and he was sure it had been recently. A part of him almost expected to run into his brother, but that didn't make sense to him. He'd left Merle handcuffed to a roof in Atlanta with walkers loose inside the building. He, Layna, and Sophia had barely made it out. There was no explanation for Merle being alive.

"You're just fuckin stupid," Daryl muttered to himself. How could he possibly think that Merle survived. Maybe he was just in denial again. In denial that Merle had done all of the horrible things he had, and that he'd left his brother to die on that roof. He pushed the bedroom door back open, anxious to see what he had seen the day before. He moved to the ratty blinds in attempt to lighten up the darkened room. There had to be another explanation. Maybe he'd over reacted and just freaked because Layna was there. He didn't want her to have to worry. That had to be it, he told himself as he yanked up the blinds, letting sunlight spill into the room. He'd just over reacted.

* * *

Layna stepped out of the shower and slipped on a pair of jeans and a brightly colored V-neck shirt. She dried her damp hair as she studied her reflection in the mirror and let her eyes drop to the heart shaped necklace laying by the sink. She wondered what Daryl was doing. Going to her own house hadn't brought the emotions she assumed it would. It wasn't comforting in the least bit. It was more like walking in a haunted house, holding too many memories that weren't necessarily bad, just overwhelming. She just couldn't understand why Daryl would go back to his.

Layna opened the bathroom door and headed back to wake up Gracie for her second day of school. She stopped in the doorway of her bedroom again, looking at Gracie's peaceful expression and soft, brown curls that splayed onto the pillow. She quietly strolled into the room and gently sat down on the other side of the bed. She laid down and rolled onto her side, facing Gracie.

"Gracie," she called softly. We gotta get you up and ready for school."

Layna watched Gracie's eye lids flutter a little as she stretched before she opened her eyes.

Gracie opened her green eyes and rubbed them with her hands.

"Did you sleep good?" Layna asked.

Gracie yawned as she sat up and nodded. "I have to go to school again?" she asked.

"Yeah," Layna laughed. "Everyday for a long time. I thought you said you had fun."

"I did," she said sleepily.

"Well good," Layna smiled. "Let's go get you dressed."

Layna followed Gracie back out of her room stopping as a pink piece of construction paper caught her eye from her dresser.

"What's this sweetie?" she asked as she picked it up. A red messily colored and almost lopsided heart covered nearly the entire paper.

"I made it for you and daddy," Gracie said softly as she turned back to Layna.

"It's beautiful," Layna murmured. "Did you show it to your Daddy?"

Gracie nodded as she reached up to brush her unruly hair out of her eyes.

"Girl, we gotta tame those curls," Layna said with a laugh as she gently laid the paper back on the dresser.

* * *

Daryl scanned Merle's room. It wasn't trashed like his was. His eyes fell on the shirt waded up on the bed that had sparked his interest the day before. He scooped it up, quickly examining it as he felt his heart rate quicken. It was a tan button up, stained with bloodstains and torn. He knew for sure that it hadn't been in the house before they left, but he didn't recognize it like he was afraid he might. He tossed the shirt back to the bed and scratched his head as he looked around Merle's ratty room. A few drawers of an old wooden dresser were opened and hanging out. Daryl could clearly see a few old porn magazines peeking from their drawer among wads of clothing. He couldn't remember how Merle had left the room that day they'd left. They'd packed so quickly, and so light, just ready to get away from their neighbors who had already turned. He remembered the sound of their groans and nails as they scratched on the front door. Daryl turned back toward the bedroom door, feeling a little better. Layna's words repeated in his mind. She was right, anybody could've bunked in their trailer. He thought back to the fancy doctor's house they'd stayed in or the little brick one they'd stayed in at first.

* * *

Daryl walked back up to the hotel. After a hot bus ride, dealing with chattering people, and having to give more blood and sit while it was tested, he was ready to climb back into bed. He hadn't found out anything else out by looking through the trailer, and was beginning to regret going back after all.

Daryl opened the door, and froze as he spotted Layna sitting against the living room wall. She had her knees pulled up to her chest, holding them tightly as Gracie sat wide eyed beside her.

"Layna?" He asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

He was at her side in an instant, trying to see passed her hair that she'd allowed to fall around her face.

She locked her blue eyes on his as she swallowed hard.

"What the hell is going on?" Daryl raised his voice.

"Daryl," Layna said softly.

Daryl took a quick glance at Gracie. She looked scared. Her green eyes were wide with fear as she stared back at him.

"Layna talk to me," he ordered as a million different scenarios played through his head.

"He's not dead," she stammered quickly.

Daryl could almost feel the color draining from his face. He knew who she was talking about.

"What the hell?" Daryl roared. "He was here?"

Layna shook her head as she let a soft sob escape her lips.

Daryl sank to his knees beside her on the floor.

"What happened? What did he do? Was he here?" Daryl asked desperately.

Layna shook her head. "He wasn't here."

Daryl felt himself let out a short sigh of relief.

She covered her face with her hands. "He's here in the city. I can't believe it."

"Layna, how?" Daryl asked as he pulled her hands away from her face. She stared back at him blankly with her tearstained face. "How the hell is it even possible?" he asked.

"I don't know," she snapped. "But I saw him. What are you saying you don't believe me? He was missing his hand," she stammered.

"What?" Daryl choked out. He felt like his mind shut down. His brother was alive and had done whatever it had taken to survive.

"It's all my fault," he growled. "I should've...," he stopped himself. Would he really have killed his brother?

"Well you didn't know that he'd cut off his hand to get loose," Layna argued.

"But he's here!" Daryl yelled as he stood back up. "He's locked in this city with us!"

* * *

Layna scrambled to her feet, as Daryl paced back and forth with clenched fists. She felt sick. The last thing she'd expected to see was Merle Dixon walking around the city.

"Where was he?" Daryl growled.

"Uh, I don't know…," Layna tried to remember exactly where she'd seen him. "I don't know, Daryl. I was taking Gracie to school when I saw him. We came straight back here. He didn't even see us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Layna said quickly. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, unable to keep her hands from shaking.

"I should've fuckin stayed here," Daryl muttered. "I left and he could've seen ya'll."

"It's not your fault," Layna murmured.

"No, once again it is," he grumbled. "I knew after we'd been to the trailer that he'd been there. I fuckin knew it."

Layna squinted back at him, as she remembered his odd behavior.

"That's why you went back," she murmured softly.

"I mean who else would go trash and kick everything around my room, drink his alcohol, and leave his room untouched?" he muttered. "I'm gonna go find his sorry ass."

"Wait Daryl," Layna bit down on the inside of her cheek as he headed back for the door.

"Don't go Daddy!" Gracie's soft voice begged from behind her. "I'm scared!"

As Layna turned to see face her, the little girl ran toward the door.

"Gracie," Layna said as she tried to steady her shaky voice. "C'mere baby stay with me."

"Please don't go," Gracie begged again, this time reaching up to grab Daryl's hand.

Layna felt a few more tears welling in her eyes. "Gracie," she said a little more sternly as she walked over to pull her away.

Daryl looked down at Gracie, seeming to be torn between storming out the door or comforting the scared little girl.

"Why are you scared?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know," she whined softly. "Why's momma scared?"

"I'm not scared, Gracie," Layna said quickly, as she forced her tears back. "There's nothing to be scared of."

"Gracie, you're momma's right. Just stay with her for a little while and I'll be back. I promise." Daryl's voice came out calm. His eyes met Layna's for a minute before he slipped his hand out of Gracie's.

"I'm gonna take care of this, Layna," he said as he grabbed the door knob.

"Be careful," Layna pleaded. "Please."

She was scared. Scared of what Daryl would do and scared of what Merle would do. She hated the whole situation, not wanting Daryl or anyone to approach Merle.

"Whatever you do, just stay here. He's not gonna see you and he is definitely not gonna see her," he said as he pointed to Gracie.

Layna nodded as she grabbed Gracie's hand.

Daryl threw open the door and slammed it behind him, leaving Layna and Gracie standing in the silence of the living room.

"Where's he going?" Gracie cried out as she pulled away from Layna and reached for the doorknob.

Layna locked the top latch of the door and pulled Gracie away from it.

"He's coming right back baby," she murmured.

"I wanted to go with him," Gracie whined.

Layna sat down on the edge of the couch, trying her best to stop her body from shaking. How could he have survived and made it back to terrorize them again? She took a deep breath. Whatever was going to happen she knew she had to calm down and be strong for Gracie. As long as she or Daryl had anything to do with it, she knew Merle wasn't going to see Gracie.

Layna nearly jumped off of the couch as the shrill ring of the telephone rang from the kitchen. She darted into the kitchen and picked it up before the third ring even started.

"Hello?" she asked desperately.

"Hey," Lori's voice said cheerfully from the other end.

"Lori!" Layna gasped.

"Layna? What's wrong?" Lori asked.

"Oh my God," Layna stammered. "Lori, me and Gracie are coming over right now."

"Are you okay?" Lori asked worriedly.

"We'll be there in a minute," Layna sputtered.

She slammed the phone back down on the counter before Lori could respond.

"We're going to Aunt Lori's," Layna said to Gracie.

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	5. Chapter 5

Layna gripped Gracie's hand tightly in hers as she stepped out of their room and into the hallway. She found herself looking nervously over her shoulder as she rounded the corner and headed toward Lori's room. Layna jumped as a shrill alarm pierced the air. Her eyes searched the halls, noticing the small flashing emergency lights of the hotel walls. Lori's door flung open as Layna stepped in front of it.

"What's going on?" Lori shrieked as she met Layna face to face.

"I don't know," Layna stammered. "But Merle is here."

Lori's mouth fell open. "Where?"

"In the city. Daryl just went to find him. I saw him earlier but he didn't see me," the words spilled out of Layna's mouth as Lori's expression turned panicked.

"Oh my God," Lori murmured.

People began filing out into the hallway from their rooms, pushing passed Layna and Lori as they stood frozen in the hallway.

"Is it the fire alarm?" a woman asked nervously.

"I think we need to get out of here," Lori said frantically.

Layna's heart rate quickened as she, Gracie and Lori followed the crowd of people that were exiting the building.

"Where did Daryl go?" Lori yelled over the bustle of people.

"I don't know," Layna answered her, feeling a pang of fear as she thought of him.

"Oh my God, i dont even know where Carl and Sophia are," Lori admitted. "I wonder if they evacuated the schools too?"

They followed the people into the parking lot and stopped as guards began making their way over to them. Alarms rang out all over the city, sounding off at different times. Layna found herself looking nervously around, searching the sea of faces around them. The fear of seeing Merle made her feel sick, almost making her more scared than the not knowing the cause of the alarm that sent them out into the parking lot.

She scanned the area, hearing the gasp escape her lips as her eyes fell on Merle, standing amongst a crowd of people who had just exited a building.

"Oh my God," Layna murmured as she caught a glimpse of Daryl ducking around a large group of frantic people. He was heading for Merle who hadn't seemed to have seen him yet. She could see the anger in Daryl's movements even from the distance.

By the time Merle saw him it was too late. Layna watched Daryl latch onto Merle's shirt collar and push him away from the surrounding people. He obviously surprised his brother who only barely had time to reclaim his balance.

"There they are!" Layna desperately pointed them out to Lori.

"The guards are coming," Lori said nervously.

Layna craned her neck to see guards, guns still in their hands, heading away form their usual posts and toward the crowd congregating around Daryl and Merle.

"Shit they have guns," Layna gasped. "Gracie stay with Aunt Lori!" Layna quickly slipped her hand out of Gracie's and pushed her toward her sister.

"No Layna, don't go!" Lori called after her quickly.

"Watch her," Layna ordered as she hurried toward the crowd that had congregated around the fighting brothers. She quickened her pace as a few more security guards noticed them. It was all a blur of commotion. The alarms sounded through the air as people panicked. It was obvious that no one knew what was going on.

"Daryl!" Layna choked out as she zoomed passed everyone, attempting to get his attention before the security guards arrived. She burst thru the crowd and found herself right in front of Daryl and Merle.

Layna froze when Merle's eyes locked on hers. She felt numb. Daryl turned and froze when he realized Merle's eyes were focused on hers.

She whirled back around as she felt two small hands latch onto her shirt.

"Gracie!" she gasped, feeling as if she was a complete failure. She immediately regretted coming face to face with Merle. She'd unknowingly brought Gracie right to him.

"Holy Shit," Merle's voice made her wince as she stared down at Grace's innocent, clueless face, unable to bring her eyes back to meet his.

"Hey!" Daryl roared again as he pushed Merle against a brick wall of a small cafe, knocking over a table and a few chairs as he did.

"What the fuck are you…," Merle was interrupted by Daryl once again.

"I should kill you right now! Don't you say a fuckin thing to them."

"What's going on here?" A guard ordered as he burst through the crowd, brushing passed her and Gracie as he ordered Daryl to stop. A few more guards joined in, attempting to pull Daryl away from Merle as another guard cleared the crowd of people who had congregated around them.

"Get you hands off of me!" Daryl ordered as he backed away from the guards.

"Daryl, Please stop," Layna pleaded.

"What the hell is going on here?" an older guard demanded. "We're gonna have to ask you all to come with us."

Layna took a few steps back, pulling Gracie along with her as the guards attempted to restrain Merle and Daryl.

"You too," the older man snapped as he grabbed her arm.

* * *

Layna looked nervously at Daryl and pulled Gracie closer to her. She stole a few quick, nervous glances at the small cage like cell next to them. Merle was just standing. Layna couldn't bring herself to look into his face and see what emotion she would find there, but she couldn't stop herself from glancing at his lunged at their bars, making Gracie tighten her grip on her hand.

"How the hell could you come back here?" Daryl demanded.

"I didn't know you were here. It ain't like I had a fuckin choice no ways. They scooped me up and brought me to this hell hole. I was doin just peachy out there by myself," Merle snapped.

Layna frowned and looked away as Merle's eyes focused on her. She hated being trapped in the cell that left her and Gracie exposed to his wandering eyes. She didn't want him to see Gracie and now he was doing just that.

Daryl grunted as he clenched his fists around the bars.

"Daryl," Layna said softly as she reached over to touch his arm.

"When did you get all big and bad little brother?" Merle asked as he stepped closer to the bars in his cell. You think just cause I got one hand I wouldn't still hand your ass to ya? What are you a family man now?"

"Shut up!" Daryl snapped

"Living the dream with a pretty woman, and-"

"I said shut the hell up!" Daryl roared again.

Layna let her hand drop from Daryl's arm and stepped away, pulling Gracie as far away from Merle as she could. She scanned the room that held their two separate holding cells. She felt sick and overwhelmed as she tried to block out Daryl and Merle's angry voices.

"Daddy," Gracie said softly.

"Shh," Layna shushed her quickly as Daryl turned from the bars.

"Daddy huh?" Merle rasped.

"Don't you dare say-"

"Hey you're the one that started this shit. How do you know I wasn't gonna say let's put all this shit behind us?" Merle interrupted Daryl as he stepped closer to the bars.

"Put it all behind us?" Daryl snapped.

"Just stop it!" Layna blurted out.

Merle focused on her again and Layna watched his eyes drop from her to Gracie who was standing beside her. She wanted to scream and tell him not to look at her, but when his eyes met hers she couldn't muster a single word.

Gracie looked back at Layna and glanced at Merle nervously as she tried to escape his transfixed gaze.

Layna silently apologized in her mind. She never accounted on Gracie having to ever be in the situation she was in.

"I should have known ya would still have that hold on ma brother," Merle muttered as he shook his head.

Layna diverted her gaze from his and tried to hide her shaking hands. She couldn't begin to wrap her head around the emotions she was feeling. It was more anger than fear, but overwhelming her completely. She'd let her guard down, letting herself believe that he was dead and that she'd never have to see his face. Now she could barely believe she was standing trapped in the same room as him.

"What's your name?" Layna felt her heart rate quicken as Merle diverted his attention to Gracie.

"Don't fuckin talk to her," Daryl blurted out.

"Gracie," Gracie murmured softly. Layna squeezed her hand tighter.

"So," Merle muttered. "You just pretended she was your kid all along huh? After you left me to die on that rooftop, that is." He held up his stump as he talked. "I cut off my fuckin hand dammnit. I was out there struggling to survive and in the meantime everything was going perfect for ya wasn't it? You took care of a pretty knocked up girl and now look where ya are. Ya got yourself a fake little family. You gotta be getting something in return for taking care of her by now huh?"

Layna watched Daryl's face turn red with anger.

"So Gracie," Merle rasped. "Do you know who I am? Oh never mind of course ya don't."

"Hey!" Layna snapped. "Why would you do this to her?" Her eyes burned with tears that she tried to hold back. "She's five years old. Don't you dare talk to her."

"I wanna go home," Gracie whined.

"I think she deserves to know who her real-"

"No," Layna interrupted Merle before Daryl could. She let go of Gracie's hand and stepped closer to the bars. "As far as I'm concerned she is not yours and she never will be. Do you hear me? Don't turn her world upside down too."

Merle stared back at her, not backing up from his place in front of his bars. Layna could feel herself losing the surge of confidence that had taken over her for a few short seconds.

He smirked as he shook his head. "Whether ya like it or not, she is mine. Daryl ain't daddy material, girl. He ain't man enough to make a kid, let alone take care of one. He ain't strong enough."

"Just stay away from me and my family!" Layna snapped. "He's more man than you will ever be."

"I'm kind of surprised," Merle muttered. "You kept her."

He looked back at Gracie. "Last I saw ya'll you were scrounging around for abortion pills I believe, ain't I right? What happened, have a change of heart?"

"What the hell do you want Merle?" Layna snapped as she tried to keep her voice from showing the fear she felt pulsing through her veins. He was striking every raw nerve, seeming to know just what to say to make her more upset and Daryl even angrier.

"Don't get your hopes up, I ain't after you. The way I see it, the past is the fuckin past. Just fuckin remember that it was you two that jumped my ass out there alright? Don't ya'll think you've done enough harm to ole Merle?"

"Merle, you think we hurt you? All you do is hurt people and I ain't sitting around and lettin you do it anymore. You don't think about the shit you do," Daryl snapped.

Merle let out a snicker. "I don't give a shit."

"Just cut the crap and grow the hell up," Daryl said sharply.

Layna's attention was pulled away from Merle once again as Gracie tugged gently on her shirt. Layna leaned down as Gracie moved closer and cupped her hands in attempt to whisper something to her.

"I wanna go home, Momma. Why is he yelling at us?"

Layna frowned. "It's okay, we're going home soon baby," she whispered back.

"Are they going to keep us here all fuckin day?" Merle yelled.

"You're scaring her," Layna snapped as she climbed back to her feet. "Stop it." She knew that she had to stand up to him for Gracie's sake. For both of their sakes.

Merle scraped his teeth along his bottom lip as he stared back at her.

"Ya know, they threw us in here together on fuckin purpose. To work out our problems probably. Ain't that a hoot. I tell ya, we were doin better without the dumb ass military and cops. Better get started apologizing to me so they'll let us out," Merle said with a smile. I'll bet they're watchin us on camera right now."

Daryl opened his mouth to say something back, but stopped when the door to their room opened.

Layna recognized the man immediately. She'd seen him around, but the first time she'd seen him was when they military showed up at their door during their stay at the doctor's house. He was a little older and seemed to be more experienced. He didn't exactly look like the same timid young man who'd stood in the back with his loaded gun in his hand. She could plainly see his name tag on his shirt. Davis.

"Hey," Layna said through the bars. "You can't do this to us. You can't put a kid behind bars. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry ma'm ," Davis said gently. "We're just trying to stop trouble before it starts. We have a bit of a commotion outside already."

"What was with all of the alarms?" Layna asked.

"Uh….it was a…..a drill," he said nervously.

Daryl caught Layna's eye as he chewed on his bottom lip.

"Please, Davis," Layna pleaded. "You know us, we were like the first people here. Please get us out of here. We aren't the trouble."

"Call me Matt. It's Matt Davis" he murmured.

Layna glanced back as Daryl cleared his throat. He motioned back to the man with his eyes as if he was silently telling her to keep trying to talk him into letting them go.

"Matt," Layna tried again. "C'mon, help me get Gracie outta here."

Matt scratched his brown hair as he looked down at Gracie.

Merle let out a forced laugh. "Matt? That's what ya said right? You really think she ain't the trouble? Ain't no way she's gonna pin this shit on me. Don't let that pretty face pull you in too."

Layna sent a scowl Merle's way.

"Matt, we can't be in here with him," Layna said quickly.

Matt glanced back at Merle suspiciously.

"I'm gonna go talk to some people," Matt suggested. "Maybe ya'll won't be in there much longer. I don't think it's safe for ya'll to be locked up right now anyway."

"What the hell is going on out there?" Daryl asked.

"Drills," Matt answered quickly, barely getting the word out before an alarm sounded through the air.

"Whoa whoa whoa wait a minute," Daryl yelled as Matt grabbed his gun and yanked the door back open.

"I promise I'll be back," Matt promised as his eyes met Layna's again. "I'll get you and your daughter outta there."

He slipped out of the door leaving them alone in the room once again.

"Well what the hell?" Merle spat. "What about me?"

"You should be rotting in a jail cell," Layna blurted out, feeling a little more courageous thinking that maybe she, Daryl and Gracie would hopefully be getting out soon.

"You stupid bitch," Merle muttered. "I didn't kill anybody dammnit."

The alarms began ringing louder, making Gracie latch herself tighter onto Layna."I'm scared," Gracie said nervously.

Layna sat down on the small bench in their cell and pulled Gracie onto her lap. Gracie's brown curls brushed against Layna's face as the little girl burrowed her face into her neck. Layna tapped her foot nervously as she held Gracie. Daryl began to pace back and forth, craning his neck to see out of the small window on the room's metal door.

"They do this shit a lot?" Merle asked. "Can't expect much more from fuckin cops and shit."

Layna didn't answer him and neither did Daryl. He kept pacing, acting as though he never even heard him. Merle sat down on the bench in his own cell and glanced toward them throught the bars. Layna watched him out of the corner of her eye.

They stayed silent for a few minutes, listening to the ringing of the alarms. She couldn't help but think that their silence was worse than the yelling and screaming. He was still watching her, studying her and Gracie from his cell and it made her skin crawl. Layna couldn't believe she'd found herself in another nightmare. Merle's audacity of saying the past was the past made her sick. He acted as though he'd done no wrong, and he had no guilty conscience. What had she expected? One thing was for certain. She'd never expected having to see his face ever again.

_Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the wait guys. School keeps me pretty busy. Please review and let me know what you think about this chapter._

Daryl bit down on the inside of his cheek as he paced. The alarms blaring beyond their room invaded his mind and took over his thoughts. Layna was reassuring Gracie softly as she held the still whimpering girl. He glanced at Merle a few times, not ever meeting his eyes. Merle was just sitting on the bench in his cell, propped against the wall. His stump was laid across his lap as he looked toward Layna and Gracie. It pissed Daryl off that Merle was even looking at them. He could only imagine what he was thinking about.

He found himself slightly aggravated with Layna too. All she had to do was sit still. Why the hell would she follow him and bring Gracie with her? He couldn't bring himself to ask her, not wanting to break the silence that had fallen between them. The last thing he wanted was for Merle to start screaming and yelling again.

He craned his neck to see out of the small square window in the metal door of their room. He saw a few security guards running down the long stretch of hallway. Where the hell was that Matt guy?

"So what the hell are we supposed to do if we gotta piss?" Merle asked from his spot on his bench.

Daryl bit his tongue as he glared back at his brother.

"Don't look at me like that Darlina," Merle muttered. "You need to calm the fuck down little brother."

Daryl could feel his blood boiling again. He knew it was no use trying to talk sense in to his brother. He was always going to be the same inconsiderate asshole he'd always been.

Daryl let his eyes drift back to Layna and Gracie. Layna's eyes were full of worry, much like Gracie's as they looked back at him.

"We've gotta get outta here!" Matt's frantic voice exploded as the door flew open..

"What's going on?" Layna demanded.

"Some of them got out."

"Who?" She asked nervously.

"The infected," he answered her quickly.

"What?" Daryl spat.

"No time to talk," Matt stated as he slipped a key inside their lock.

"You better get me the hell outta here!" Merle ordered as he jumped to his feet.

"Shit!" Matt muttered under his breath. "They must have different keys for each cell. This one must open that cell," he pointed to Merle's cell as he struggled to pull the key back out.

"Well hurry the hell up and get me outta here!" Merle ordered. Daryl felt his heart skip a beat as Matt moved on to Merle's cell. He quickly unlocked it and swung the door open.

"I'm gonna find the other key," Matt said quickly as he left the room. Merle followed him out the door, stopping for a second to look back at them before he disappeared into the hallway.

* * *

"Another outbreak?' Layna asked as the panic rose in her throat. She stepped closer to Daryl. "It can't be happening again can it?"

"We've gotta get the hell outta here!" Daryl growled as he desperately pushed on the door to their cell.

Layna chewed nervously at her bottom lip as she moved closer to the bars and peered out of the slightly ajar door to their room.

"How would walkers get out in the city? There weren't any. We haven't seen sick people in so long," Layna rambled.

"What's a walker?" Gracie's innocent voice interrupted her.

Daryl turned from the bars, catching Layna's eye before he looked to Gracie.

"It's a sick person," Layna answered her as soon as the words popped into her head. She didn't know an easy way to break it to her.

"Ya'll want outta here or what?" a familiar raspy voice made Layna and Daryl both whirl around to face the door.

"Where's Matt?" Layna stammered as Merle stepped in the room.

"There's assholes everywhere out there," Merle said quickly as he tossed a key toward their cell. The key clanged on the hard floor as it landed beside them. Daryl fell to his knees quickly reaching through the bars to retrieve it.

"Walkers?" Layna asked nervously.

"Shit!" Merle yelled as turned back from the opened door. He slammed the door shut and looked out the window.

Daryl looked up from his task of unlocking their cell. "What the hell Merle?"

"Damn walkers are in the hall now, musta followed me."

Layna's heart sank in her chest.

Daryl unlocked their cell door and pushed it open, running out of it to look past Merle and out into the hall.

"Damnnit!" Daryl yelled. "What the hell is going on?"

Layna pulled Gracie along beside her as she stepped out of the cell. Her heart thudded in her chest as she looked back down at Gracie who was completely oblivious of the danger that lay beyond their room.

"We gotta make a fuckin run for it," Merle muttered. "There's just more comin."

Daryl turned back to look at her, dropping his eyes to Gracie's. "Merle's right, we can't stay here."

"We don't even have a weapon," Layna stammered. "How can we make a run for it?"

Merle moved away from the door as he scanned the room. He moved over to the corner of the room where an old wooden table sat. He flipped it over with his hand, using his foot to kick it and move it since his other arm was nearly useless. Daryl turned back to watch him as he kicked one of the wooden legs. The leg finally snapped off of the table top and Daryl moved to work on another one. Daryl broke one off easily and moved to another.

"Take it!" He grunted as he held a wooden table leg out to her.

Layna took it from Daryl quickly as her eyes met Merle's from by the door. He was holding his own table leg in his hand.

"You sure angel eyes can handle this?" Merle muttered.

Merle reached for the door knob but Daryl stopped him.

"Wait," he held out his hands. "Layna, let us go first, we'll come back for you."

"Wait whoa no," Layna stammered.

"We can't risk bringing her through there," Daryl said gruffly as he pointed to Gracie.

"For God's sakes," Merle muttered. "We've gotta get out of this hell hole."

"I ain't bringing her out there," Daryl growled at Merle. "Can't risk it."

Merle scowled.

"Help me clear the hall," Daryl suggested.

"Man I'm just trying to get outta here, not clear the place out. What's gone keep more of them assholes from coming? I ain't risking my life for.."

Layna looked back up from the table leg in her hands, finding herself hanging on to the end of Merle's sentence, but he stopped.

She frowned. Why would she expect him to want to help? He didn't care about them. It didn't matter that Gracie was his child. She didn't want his help anyway, just wanted to get Gracie to safety.

"I'll help," Layna blurted out. "She can stay here, it's safe in here."

"Are you crazy?" Daryl snapped. "What if something happens? I don't want you out there either!"

"I can handle a walker," Layna argued.

"Gracie needs you," Daryl concluded.

"She needs you too," she murmured.

"I'll go dammnit!" Merle snapped.

"Shut the door behind us," Daryl ordered as Merle reached for the knob again. Layna nodded.

"We'll be right back," Daryl promised. The two of them slipped out the door and into the hall.

Layna pushed the door closed quickly, pressing her body against it as she peered nervously out the window. Gracie was now whimpering behind her again. The walkers that staggered in the hall were all wearing army camouflage, lab coats, or security guard uniforms. They weren't the usual decayed creatures that had become the normal years ago. These were fresh. Daryl and Merle worked together, smashing the heads of the walkers as they stumbled closer to them. She watched Daryl nervously, feeling her heart drop every time his single swing didn't bring one down. Daryl pointed down the hall and around the corner when the walkers in the hall had been taken down. Merle headed that way as Daryl turned back to the door, meeting her gaze through the window.

Layna gasped as Matt rounded the corner of the hall at first thinking he was another walker. He nearly plowed right through Merle. He motioned quickly back to the way he came and aimed his gun into a doorway that she couldn't see from the end of the hall. She heard the gunshots, sounding faint against the loud, shrill alarm still ringing out.

Layna turned from the doorway and faced Gracie. "We're getting outta here, baby i promise."

Daryl burst back through the door, Merle and Matt at his heels.

She noticed the flecks of blood that speckled all of their clothes and skin.

"They're loading everyone up and taking them in buses," Matt explained quickly. "The walkers are everywhere. People are turning quicker."

"What happened?" Layna demanded.

Matt shook his head. "I don't exactly know but it's bad."

"We gotta get out there," Daryl said quickly.

"What's going on?" Gracie sniffled.

Layna bent down so that she was eye level with Gracie. Her tear filled eyes stared back into Layna's.

"Gracie," Layna said softly. "We're getting outta here baby but you gotta be real quiet okay? Here I'll carry you. Just shut your eyes and we'll be out of here soon." Layna lifted Gracie into her arms, thankful that she wasn't too heavy for a five year old. She could feel Gracie's tears already soaking through her shirt.

"You can't carry her the whole way," Daryl argued as he stepped closer to her.

"I got her," Layna said sharply. "Let's just go."

"Amen let's get the hell outta here," Merle snapped.

Layna stepped out of the doorway after Daryl, Merle, and Matt, observing the bodies that littered the hallway.

"Are your eyes shut baby?" Layna asked as she tried to keep her voice steady.

She felt Gracie's head nod softly against her chest. Layna stepped over the bodies, praying that Gracie kept her eyes closed. Daryl and Merle kept their wooden weapons in their hands, letting Matt lead the way back out of the hallway with his gun ready. She couldn't help but feel sick that Merle was still with them. It was strange how quickly threats changed. Avoiding Merle wasn't the top priority at the moment. Staying alive was. He was just along with it, making her feel more and more uncomfortable. Was it wrong that she felt betrayed that Daryl was acting as though nothing had happened? Layna shook the thoughts from her head. Daryl hadn't forgotten, she knew he wouldn't. Survival was just the biggest issue, and she knew he would do anything to keep her and Gracie safe, even if it meant tag teaming with his brother.

Layna was thrown back into the all to familiar past. The fear was back, but even worse considering she had Gracie to worry about.

Daryl stopped protectively in front of her as a walker exited a darkened room in front of them. Layna froze as Matt lifted his gun.

"Wait," Daryl hissed. "That'll be too fuckin loud."

Matt glanced back nervously over his shoulder. "Well what the hell do you suggest?"

Merle stepped ahead of Matt, making Matt lower his gun. Merle walked over to the walker, still holding the bloodied table leg in his hand. The walker, dressed in camouflage with an evident bite mark on its arm lumbered toward him. He swung the makeshift weapon one handedly, sending a spray of blood shooting onto the walls as the walker stumbled. He swung again, sending it to the ground and proceeded to finish the job as it lay sprawled out.

"That's what I suggest," Merle muttered as he turned back to face them.

Layna groaned under her breath and shifted Gracie on her hip as she followed the men once again down the hall. The too familiar smell of blood and gore invaded her nose.

"Watch the empty rooms," Daryl warned.

"Let's go out the back way," Matt whispered as he pointed down another hallway. "The front of this police station was swamped. I think we can still get to the buses if we loop around-" he stopped, surprised when the alarms finally cut off.

"My ears are gonna fuckin ring for weeks," Merle grumbled.

Layna could feel Gracie sliding down her body inch by inch. She hoisted her back up as they started down the hallway that Matt had pointed out.

"Gracie, you're gonna have to walk for me for a minute," Layna suggested as she slowly let her slide back to the ground. She made sure to point her down the empty stretch of hallway and not back to the bodies behind them.

Gracie latched onto her hand with both of hers. Daryl and Merle both turned back to look and Daryl hung back to match their pace.

"You alright?" Daryl asked.

"I'm fine," Layna answered quickly, avoiding Merle's gaze.

"Well c'mon, we can't miss the buses," Daryl reminded her as he motioned forward.

Layna began jogging after them, making sure that Gracie was keeping up with her pace.

As soon as they neared the back door, the sound of gunfire became louder outside.

Matt hesitated, looking back to them before pushing on the emergency exit door.

"Don't run off," he ordered. "I'm gonna bring ya'll to the buses. Just stick with me."

"What if we don't wanna go to the buses?" Merle muttered.

"Go wherever the hell you wanna go," Daryl snapped. Merle took a step closer to Daryl, brushing against Layna as he did. Layna jumped back. It was more impulse than anything, but it rendered the attention of all three men. It was as though she'd been touched by a handful of hot coals. Her skin crawled, sending her back to the horrible memories of years ago. Embarrassment flushed her face as she pulled Gracie farther away from him.

"Don't you fuckin touch her!" Daryl snarled as he met Merle face to face.

Merle's eyes met hers. "Hell, I didn't even touch you."

"Why don't you get the hell out of here right now," Daryl growled.

"Hey we don't have time for all this," Matt's voice broke in.

"Are you even in this?" Merle muttered coldly. "Don't pretend like ya'll don't need me. Ya'll would still be holed up in that room if it wasn't for me."

Matt sank back a little, beginning to look timid once again.

"Are you even old enough to be with the military or did they just recruit ya cause they couldn't find nobody else?" Merle pressed on.

Matt glared back at Merle, obviously surprised that Merle had moved his attacks on to him.

"Just stop it," Layna snapped. She turned back to Matt. "Please just take us to the buses."

* * *

Daryl kept his sights on Layna and Gracie as they ran out of the back door of the police station. The Matt guy held true to his promise as he shot down walkers in their path on the way to the buses. Matt led them away from the hoards of walkers, gun shots, and frantic people, taking them the back way. Sticking to the empty alleyways proved to be the easiest way of maneouvering through the city. It wasn't until they made it to the place Matt had said the buses would be that he realized Merle wasn't following behind them anymore. He scanned around, looking for any sign of his brother. He only let himself think about him for a little while, turning his attention back to the area before them that only held random bodies scattered on the ground. They stopped before stepping into the open, observing the security guards and military still shooting down walkers.

"They were right here!" Matt yelled frantically over the gunshots still exploding in the air.

"What?" Daryl demanded as he scanned the empty loading area.

"They left. They took the buses!"

"We're too late?" Layna asked frantically. "Now what do we do?"

"Run!" Matt screamed as he pointed to the horde of walkers that were now roaming closer, blocking the open gates that the buses had left out of.

Daryl grabbed Layna's arm and pulled her in the direction Matt headed, more worried than he'd been earlier. Where were they supposed to go now? The only reasonable choice seemed to be out of the city.

* * *

Gracie's hand tightened around Layna's as she felt her lose her footing. She stopped quickly, reaching to pull her daughter back to her feet as the walkers lumbered closer.

"Ow!" Gracie screamed. "I can't walk!"

"Get her up!" Daryl yelled as he tried to quickly finish off a walker that had noticed them after it stumbled into the alleyway.

Layna tried to pull her up again. "You have too Gracie!" She glanced ahead, noticing that Matt was still shooting walkers that were blocking their path, not noticing that she, Daryl, and Gracie had fallen behind. The walkers behind them picked up their pace. She used all of her strength to pull Gracie up and ran down the alley towards Matt as Daryl finished taking out the walker. Daryl caught up with her quickly and reached for Gracie. Layna let him take her crying daughter and they followed Matt down another alleyway. They stopped for a brief second to look around. Gracie was still crying, but Layna wasn't sure if it was because she was in pain or if she was just scared. She could tell that she'd scraped her knees in her fall, and assumed that that along with everything that was going around them was the reason. Layna wanted to cry herself, feeling as if she was in a recurring nightmare.

"Shh," Matt suddenly hushed Gracie. "Did you hear that?"

"Take down anyone in the city. We repeat. We do not want this getting out. Watch for other security personnel and doctors but exterminate the rest," the crackling voice of a walkie talkie sounded through the air followed by a few hushed voices.

Matt's eyes widened as he pointed behind an older brick building to their right where the voices had come from.

"We've got to get out of here," he whispered quickly as he motioned to them and started in the opposite direction of the voices.

They ran again, darting around buildings as they avoided even the living now. Layna began falling behind again as they ran. She held her side, trying to eliminate the stabbing pain she felt with every step and every breath she took.

"Hey!"

She froze and held up her arms as a military man blocked her path, stepping out of the shadows of a darkened building.

Daryl, Gracie, and Matt's panicked expressions met hers as they turned back around,realizing that the man had only seen her.

"I'm not bit!" Layna explained frantically, but the man didn't lower her from his sights.

Layna saw her life flash before her eyes as she looked back to Gracie and Daryl. The click of the safety on the man's gun made her squeeze her eyes shut, just as Daryl quickly handed Gracie over to Matt.

"Hey asshole!" Daryl yelled frantically.

A sudden gun shot exploded into the air. It took Layna a few seconds to realize that she hadn't been shot. She forced her eyes open. The man now laid before her sprawled on the ground. Her eyes fell on the bloody wound on his head. She immediately looked back to Daryl and Matt, whose eyes were focused behind her as they stood frozen. Layna whirled around just in time to see Merle lowering a pistol in his hand. She felt her breath catch in her throat as her eyes met his.

"C'mon!" Daryl yelled back to her. He took Gracie back in his arms as he waited for her to catch up.

Layna darted back to Daryl, Gracie, and Matt, still registering what had happened in her mind.

Her side ached from running and carrying Gracie, but Layna pressed on, keeping up with Daryl and Matt as they made their way out of the city with Merle trailing not far behind her.

_Pretty Please review! Let me know what you guys think?_


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks for the reviews guys!_

_**Leyshla Gisel **__Wow it's a total coincidence that both of their names are Gracie Lol. I've never seen the movie before, but wow._

_**Emberka-2012**__ Merle is pretty complicated. I think everybody tries to figure out what Merle does or why he does it. I'm trying to delve into his mind now. I think both he and Daryl are both equally interesting. _

Layna, Daryl, Gracie, Matt, and Merle exited the city at an abandoned gate. The security guards that usually guarded it were long gone. Layna reached for Gracie's hand reassuringly as they finally slowed their paces.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she glanced from Gracie's tear stained face to her skinned knees.

"My foot hurts!" Gracie whimpered.

Layna's eyes trailed down to Gracie's sandal covered feet, noticing the difference between her ankles immediately.

"Oh my God, Daryl look," Layna murmured. Her right ankle was swollen with purple bruising already forming.

Merle moved around Layna too take a look as Daryl repositioned Gracie in his arms to see for himself. She tried to ignore Merle and the shrinking proximity between them.

"She hurt?" Matt asked as he moved in to look.

"Sit her down for a minute," Layna suggested.

"Wait not here," Matt murmured as he studied Gracie's swollen ankle. "It's not safe." He threw slung his rifle over his shoulder.

Gracie let out a yelp, making Layna cringe as Matt gingerly touched her ankle.

The roar of a helicopter overhead pulled their attention from Gracie, sending them all staring into the sky. Layna immediately felt a sliver of hope as she looked up at a few helicopters flying over the city.

"We've gotta get out of the open," Matt hissed.

"We need to get their attention," Layna sputtered. "They need to know there's more survivors out here."

Matt shook his head quickly. "I don't think we want their attention."

"What are they doin dropping that napalm shit on the city again?" Daryl asked.

"Well they aren't picking up survivors, that's for sure," Matt answered him quickly.

"Where are we goin?" Merle demanded as he hurried to catch up with Matt's pace.

"We need a safe place to stay for a while. I'm afraid they'll be getting rid of the infected and won't worry too much if they kill a few uninfected people," Matt said.

"Where are we going eventually though?" Layna asked nervously. "Gracie needs a doctor or something and we don't have weapons."

"I think our best bet is to get out of the state. I know they were bringing the others to Alabama. We should head there when it's safe," he answered her "Here," he pointed to a set of railroad tracks. "We'll follow these and hit the woods if we have too."

Daryl repositioned Gracie in his arms, being careful not to bump her swollen ankle.

"Do you want me to take her?" Layna asked.

He shook his head quickly. "No, I got her."

"Do you think that Lori, Rick, and the others made it on the buses?" Layna murmured softly.

"I'm sure they did," Daryl assured her.

Layna made small talk with Gracie as they walked along the railroad tracks, putting as much distance between them and the city as possible. Matt finally pointed out a house in the distance. It was a pretty small red brick house with a grown up yard. She was desperate to get Gracie out of the open and somewhere where they could examine her foot so she jumped at the chance of resting inside the house for a while.

Daryl handed Gracie back over to Layna as they neared the front steps of the house. She waited outside and allowed the men to move in first and look through it. It brought her back to the days when she and Daryl were with the group. Doing things like this had just become routine. She hoped that Lori, Carl, Rick, and the others had made it to safety,

"It's safe," Daryl announced as he stepped back outside. He held open the screen door as Layna carried Gracie inside.

She looked around the dusty living room as Daryl shut the both the screen door and wooden door behind them.

Layna gently laid Gracie on the couch that sat against the main wall in the living room.

"Momma," Gracie sniffled.

Layna sat on the edge of the couch and gingerly slipped Gracie's sandal off of her swollen foot.

"I know it hurts," Layna said softly. "I'm sorry."

Daryl squatted down beside the couch, examining it for himself.

"It isn't broke is it?" Layna asked nervously.

"Can ya move it?" Daryl asked Gracie.

Gracie shook her head no quickly. "It hurts."

Daryl scratched his head. "I don't know," he murmured.

Merle stepped forward again, taking a look at Gracie's swollen ankle. Layna gave Daryl an uncomfortable glance before looking back to Gracie as Merle stepped closer.

Matt returned from the back of the house and slung his gun back over his back.

"There isn't any running water here," he muttered. "Ain't really food either."

Matt looked back to Gracie as he stepped closer to the couch. "We need to see if the swelling will go down."

"We don't have any ice or anything though," Layna murmured.

"You gotta raise it above her heart," Merle's voice surprised her.

Layna looked back at him.

"Makes swelling go down," he finished.

Matt nodded. "Yeah I'd try that. Here, I saw some pillows in the bedroom that are softer than these. I'll go get some." He turned and headed back down the hall.

"I don't think it's broke," Merle muttered. "Probably just a sprain."

Daryl chewed nervously on his thumbnail as he looked back down at Gracie. She stared up at them with her wide green eyes.

When no one acknowledged Merle he stepped away and slipped out the door.

* * *

"What are we gonna do?" Layna whispered.

"I don't know," Daryl murmured. "I reckon we need to stay with Matt. He knows more of what's goin on than we do. We can't be movin around with Gracie hurt anyway."

Daryl watched Layna take a quick, nervous glance around the room.

"Why is he still here?" She murmured. "Why would he come with us?"

Daryl shook his head. " I don't know what the hell he's doin."

"Well he can't stay here with us," she blurted out. "He just can't."

He glanced back toward the door, making sure Merle couldn't hear them.

"Layna, he ain't just gonna leave."

"Well make him!" she blurted out. "You said you were gonna keep us safe. How the hell are we supposed to be safe around him? And Gracie's hurt, she can't walk. I don't want him around her."

"He ain't gonna hurt her. He may be crazy but he wouldn't hurt her," Daryl lowered his voice. He grabbed Layna's hand and pulled her off the couch away from Gracie.

"He ain't on them drugs anymore. I can tell," he whispered as he leaned in close to her.

She pulled away and looked back up at him. "So?"

"He ain't as unpredictable. I think he's been off for a while and they've gotten out of his system."

"What are you saying?" Layna snapped. "You forgive him for what he did? He is your brother after all so that makes it okay right?"

"I didn't say that," Daryl said gruffly.

"Well that's what it sounds like. Unlike you, I can't get over it."

"Look," Daryl could feel himself losing his temper. "He ain't gonna touch you again. Either of you alright? I'll make sure of that. He ain't gonna leave if I ask him too though."

Layna pulled away from him. "You let it happen last time."

Daryl froze, completely surprised that she said what she said. He stared back at her.

"I'm sorry," Layna burst into a round of apologies. "I didn't mean it like that. I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry." A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I got the pillows," Matt announced as he reentered the living room. Daryl turned away from Layna as Matt laid the pillows on the couch. Layna hurried over to help Matt carefully lift Gracie's foot and place it high on the pillows. Daryl gritted his teeth as the door opened and Merle came back inside. What Layna had said was true. It was what had haunted him everyday for so long. She'd always said she forgave him but obviously she hadn't. Hearing it from her made him feel even worse. Merle started down the hallway and Daryl followed him. Merle glanced over his shoulder halfway down the hall but kept walking. Daryl could feel his blood boiling, even angrier now that Layna had brought up his faults of the past again.

Merle stopped at the end of the darkened hall and turned around."What the hell do you want little brother?"

"What the hell are you tryin to do?" Daryl growled

Merle narrowed his eyes. "I ain't tryin to do nothing. What the hell are you doin?"

"I'm tryin to figure out why you're hanging around us. I don't know if you forgot or not but we ain't exactly on good terms. Just cause you saved her back there don't mean she owes you nothin."

Merle stared back. "I ain't got nowhere better to go."

"Anywhere's better than here around Layna and Gracie," Daryl muttered.

"I haven't said two fuckin words to them," Merle snapped. "What the hell do you think I'm gonna do?"

Daryl scowled back at his brother.

"I told you it was a fuckin mistake. How many times do I have to say that?" Merle spat.

"Don't fuckin look at them, don't talk to them, and sure as hell don't touch them. If I catch you messin with them, I swear to God," Daryl threatened as he leaned in closer. "As soon as possible, I expect you to get your ass outta here."

"You really think you love her don't ya?" Merle muttered. "She gives ya enough confidence to boss ole Merle around huh?"

Daryl gritted his teeth. "What you did wasn't a mistake how was that a mistake? You knew damn well what you were doing."

"I didn't know that she'd get pregnant," Merle muttered.

Daryl clenched his fists at his sides. "Well isn't that always a possibility? She did get pregnant," he lowered his voice. "And she had your kid. She went through all that because of you." Daryl pointed his finger into Merle's chest.

Merle stared back at him.

"You don't even care do you?" Daryl scowled as he glanced back down the hall to make sure Layna wasn't around.

"After all of that…..she moved on ya know? We both did. We both raised Gracie and we love her. Call me soft. Call me a bitch, but I'm a hell of a lot stronger than you are." Daryl muttered.

"I though blood was thicker than water," Merle growled.

"Not anymore. Unlike you I got to know Layna. She is an amazing person, but you wouldn't know that. I'm not gonna sit back here and let you terrorize her here. Just take this as your warning."

"I can't even talk to my kid?"

"No you can't. If you have any heart at all you wouldn't turn Gracie's life upside down like you did Layna's. She's five and it's not like she'd understand but you're just gonna confuse her. I'm her dad and Layna's her mom. That's how it is and always will be. If you tell her any different, I swear to God."

* * *

"It'll be dark soon," Matt murmured as he glanced out the curtain covered windows. "Looks like we're gonna have to stay here. We can't move Gracie anyway." Layna listened to Matt as Daryl and Merle walk back into the living room. She could tell they'd been arguing or something. They both looked mad.

"What the hell happened back there?" Daryl demanded. "How the fuck did walkers get in the city?"

"Man, I was afraid something like that was gonna happen. They didn't get into the city. They were already in it, in the labs. They were still running tests on the walkers and studying the virus. It started there. Somebody messed up, got too close I guess. They thought it hadn't spread and told us it was a false alarm but then it happened. They mutated the it so now it spreading faster. I overheard some doctors talking about it," Matt explained.

"Where are we supposed to do?" Layna asked.

"Just lay low for a little while and then try for Alabama. I know they were taking in the refugees.

"What's so damn dangerous out there? We haven't seen no walkers," Merle muttered.

"The people," Matt answered him. "If they catch us they'll probably think we're infected. They've been told to clear everything." He ran his fingers through his brown hair. "Ya'll, I was in Florida before I came here and there was an outbreak after they though they'd gotten everybody cleaned up. They killed everybody. Innocent people were being slaughtered."

"They're never going to get rid of this," Layna muttered sadly.

"They're closer than they've ever been," Matt reminded her.

"We're sleeping here?" Gracie asked from her place on the couch.

"Yeah we are," Daryl answered her.

Layna stepped closer to the couch by Daryl. "I don't wanna have to move her again but where are we going to sleep?" she asked.

"There's one bedroom back there but it has a real little bed. You're welcome to it Layna, "Matt offered.

"Uh, no that's fine," Layna murmured as her eyes met Daryl's again. "I'm staying with Daryl and Gracie."

"We can just make a pallet here on the floor," Daryl murmured as he scooted the coffee table farther away from the couch.

Layna still felt bad about saying what she'd said to Daryl. She knew that he struggled with it but she blurted it out anyway.

* * *

Daryl helped Layna make a pallet on the floor beside the couch and made the couch more comfortable for Gracie in silence. They lit a few candles that Matt had found in the kitchen and sat them on the coffee table. Daryl watched Merle for any sign of where he would be sleeping but he never said. He waited until Matt said that he would be staying in the rocking chair before he finally dragged a blanket to the corner of the room and sat down on it.

Daryl felt Layna's uneasiness immediately. He knew she had been hoping Merle would sleep in the only bedroom.

They all settled down in their places. He and Layna propped their backs against the couch as they waited for Gracie to fall asleep.

"I wanna go back home," Gracie said softly. Layna turned around to face the couch and slipped her hand into Gracie's. "I know baby."

Daryl let his guilt start to eat away at him again as he watched Layna talk softly and assure Gracie that everything would be alright. Layna finally leaned over and kissed Gracie's forehead.

What was he supposed to do? Merle was his own person and Daryl knew he wouldn't leave just because he asked him too, but he felt like he was showing Layna that he didn't care about them. It was a losing battle either way and on top of all of that he had to worry about getting the two of them back to safety.

"First thing tomorrow I'm going to go look for supplies," Matt announced. If any of you wanna come I could probably use the help."

"I'll stay with Layna and Gracie," Daryl suggested, knowing that he was going to make damn sure that Merle, Layna, and Gracie weren't in a situation alone together.

The five of them sat in the dim light of the candles and unsettling silence for what seemed like hours. Layna finally slipped her hand into his. "I'm sorry for what i said," she whispered.

Daryl nodded back at her and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "We're gonna be okay," he murmured.

* * *

_Layna felt strong hands pulling and jerking at her clothes as a rough mouth attacked hers. She kicked and screamed, unable to move Merle's heavy weight off of her._

"_Walker!" A voice yelled from outside of the tent, temporarily stopping Merle's attack. _

Layna's eyes flicked open as she steadied her breathing. Her heart thudded in her chest while her eyes adjusted to the dim candlelight. She sat up, glancing to Daryl who was still asleep beside her. She let out a sigh of relief, thankful that she hadn't screamed out loud like she had in her dream. She turned to look at Gracie. She was fast asleep with her foot still propped on the pillows. Layna looked passed the melting candles and to Matt's chair, barely able to make out his shape still sitting in it. She could barely make out Merle's form, still laying against the farthest wall in almost total darkness now. The dreams were back. She knew why they were. Merle's sudden appearance was even affecting her subconscious. Her eyes fell back on the candles as she thought. The flames danced from the slowly disappearing candle sticks and wax dripped from the holders onto the wooden table. She wondered what time it was. The darkness outside the windows gave her no clues. Layna quietly climbed to her feet and reached for a candle stick, making sure to grab the one with the least wax. She stepped over Daryl and headed to the kitchen to find more candles in case they needed to see while it was still dark. She was mainly afraid that Gracie would wake up scared. She tiptoed into the kitchen, cringing every time the wooden floorboards creaked under her feet. The dim light of her dying candle did little to illuminate the kitchen. She laid it on the counter and dropped to her knees as she opened the cabinet she'd seen Matt find the candles. She carefully sifted through the cabinet, holding her breath every time she made a noise she thought would wake everyone up. At the sound of a floorboard creaking, Layna leapt to her feet, dropping a candle as she saw a darkened figure walking around the counter to her. As it moved into the candlelight she stumbled backwards against the countertop behind her.

"What the hell are you doin?" Merle hissed.

"Why'd you do it?" she nervously blurted out.

He stared back at her, the dim candlelight dancing across his face. His surprised expression glared back at her.

"Why'd you save me?" she reworded her question, realizing how shaky her sentences were coming out.

Merle bent down and picked up the candle she'd dropped and sat it down on the counter beside the lit one.

Layna pressed her back into the countertop behind her as he still blocked her path. He picked up the dying candle and lit the new one, gently placing it back on the counter.

She stared back at him, feeling more and more uncomfortable with the lack of space between them. She reached for the newly lit candle and attempted to walk passed him. He stepped closer, sending her a few steps back again.

"Just stop it," she murmured nervously. He stared back at her, the same strange intensity he'd had since he first saw her at the city. His silence sent shivers up her spine as she waited for him to say something, anything.

"Stop it or I'm gonna call Daryl and Matt," Layna's threat didn't come out quite as threatening as she'd hoped.

"Ain't as tough as you were when you were behind those bars are ya?"

"You're crazy," Layna hissed.

"Hey, hey!" he whispered gruffly. She leaned back as he leaned in closer to her. "It was a mistake, girl. Why can't you and Daryl understand it?"

"You liar," she murmured back, barely getting the words out before his hand shot out to grab her wrist.

"Let go of me!" she jerked her arm back towards her body, surprised when he released her.

"What's goin on here? Matt's voice made Merle step away from her quickly. Layna felt relief rush through her as Matt stepped up to the counter, eyeing Merle suspiciously.

"Getting candles," Merle muttered.

Layna brushed passed Merle quickly and practically ran back to the living room.

She hurriedly sat back down on blankets beside Daryl, glancing back to the kitchen nervously. She could still see the dying candle burning on the countertop. She didn't know if Matt was talking to Merle in the kitchen or what was going on but she snuggled back up against Daryl, trying to calm the trembles that went through her body. First the dream and then the close encounter completely overwhelmed her. She just couldn't catch a break. Layna squinted her eyes shut, not wanting to see when Merle came back into the living room. She knew that sleep wouldn't come back easily. All she wanted to do was lay awake beside Daryl where she felt safe.

_Please review! Oh I started another story "Life Ain't Always Beautiful." If you'd like to check it out and let me know what you think so far I'd be really happy._


	8. Chapter 8

_Sorry for the wait guys, but I'm off school for a week now so hopefully I'll be able to update more._

When Layna opened her eyes, sunlight was filtering through the cracks of the curtained windows. She sat up quickly, realizing that Daryl wasn't laying by her side. She turned to face the couch and let out a sigh of relief. Gracie was still stretched out on the couch, but Daryl was sitting beside her with her injured ankle propped in his lap.

"You alright? Didn't wanna wake you," he murmured as their eyes met.

She nodded quickly as she crawled closer on the pallet so that she could see Gracie's injured ankle.

"How are you baby?" Layna asked softly. She tried to shake the grogginess of a fitful sleep away.

"Her swelling went down a lot," Daryl murmured.

"It still hurts though," Gracie complained.

"I know," Layna said as she gently brushed a few unruly curls out of Gracie's eyes.

Layna looked away from her daughter and glanced around the room.

"Matt and Merle went to get us food," Gracie announced.

Layna nearly cringed at the sound of Merle's name coming out of her daughter's mouth. She turned back to Gracie quickly and gave her a forced smile. "That's good."

"How long have they been gone? They didn't ask you to go?" Layna demanded as she turned her attention back to Daryl."They've been gone a while. I told em I was staying with ya'll. You didn't think I'd leave ya'll did ya?"

"Well why didn't you wake me up?" Layna asked.

"I figured you could use the sleep, while….Merle was gone….I just figured…I don't know."

Layna's mind went back to the nightmares she'd had the night before. Her run in with Merle in the kitchen was still fresh in her mind. She watched Daryl gingerly slip out from underneath Gracie's foot and place it back on the pillows as he stood up.

"C'mere,' he motioned to her.

"What?" Layna asked as she climbed to her feet.

"Where are ya'll going?" Gracie asked.

He nodded toward the kitchen. "Gracie me and your momma gotta talk about something. We're just gonna be in the kitchen alright?'

"Was Merle trying anything last night?" Daryl demanded as soon as they were out of Gracie's hearing. He leaned in closer to her, locking his eyes on hers and lowered his voice.

Layna stared back at him, "How do you know…..wait Matt? He told you?"

"Matt told me you were in the kitchen with him. He said when he walked in Merle was acting weird and you ran out. Did he touch you Layna?"

Layna shook her head. "Well he grabbed my arm...but…What'd you tell Matt?"

"I didn't tell him anything," Daryl snapped. "What was Merle doin?"

"I don't know Daryl," Layna murmured. She took a nervous glance back to the living room.

"Layna, how the hell am I supposed to protect you when you go walking around by yourself in the middle of the night. Were you even gonna tell me if I hadn't asked?" Daryl demanded as he raised his voice a little.

"I went to get candles," Layna snapped. "I thought he was asleep. It was late. I didn't know he'd follow me."

She stared back at Daryl's agitated expression. He chewed on his bottom lip.

"Did you say anything to him?" Layna asked nervously.

"Not yet. What'd he say to ya?"

"He said it was a mistake," she murmured unsurely. "He said he didn't understand why we couldn't understand it." Layna avoided Daryl's eyes as she finished her sentence, diverting her gaze to the floor instead.

When he didn't respond, she looked back up at him. He was still leaned forward on the counter, but rubbing his finger along his lips, almost as if he was thinking.

"I don't know what to do, Layna," he muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm trying to keep ya'll safe. One minute I think I'm doin the right thing by staying with Merle and that Matt guy. I know we're safer with Matt, but then Hell….I just….What do you want me to do? Do you want me you and Gracie to leave? Head to Alabama alone?" Daryl asked as he stood back up and ran his hands exasperatedly through his hair.

"Daryl," Layna reached out and grabbed his hand. "Just calm down."

She reached up and pulled his face closer to hers. She pressed her lips gently to his.

"We're gonna be okay. I'm gonna be more careful," Layna murmured, keeping her face close to his.

"No, it's not your fault," Daryl muttered as he pulled away.

"Let's just stick this out and get Gracie back to safety. As crazy as it sounds…" Layna stopped herself, not wanting to admit what they both knew was the truth.

Daryl looked back at her, waiting for her to finish.

"We're safer with Matt and Merle than by ourselves," she finished.

"Somebody's here!" Gracie chimed from the living room, ending their conversation immediately.

Daryl hurried passed Layna and back into the living room. Layna followed him, meeting him at the window behind Gracie's couch.

"Where are they Gracie?" Daryl demanded.

Layna looked passed Daryl, noticing just what Gracie had seen as Daryl did.

"Walker," Daryl muttered under his breath.

Layna swallowed hard.

"If what Matt said is true then where there's walkers there's gonna be the military getting rid of em. We gotta keep moving," Daryl said quickly.

Layna watched the walker outside. He was dressed in jeans and a bloodied t-shirt. He dragged himself across the yard, not really on a clear path to anywhere.

"You really think the military would hurt us?" Layna asked.

"Are you forgetting what the hell happened in the city?" Daryl growled. "If it hadn't been for Merle shooting that asshole…" his voice trailed off.

"But that was in the city," Layna defended her earlier statement.

"I ain't takin any chances with ya'll," Daryl argued.

"Aw hell naw," Daryl grunted suddenly, pulling her down to the ground beside Gracie's couch. He kept a tight grip on her wrist and held an arm over Gracie, keeping her from raising up to look out the window.

"What is it?" Layna snapped, making sure to keep below the windowsill.

Daryl raised back up just enough to peek over the edge of the windowsill and Layna followed his lead. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw a camouflaged vehicle pulling up next to the walker. He tightened his grip on her wrists and tried to pull her back down, but Layna resisted, unable to peel her eyes away from the army vehicle. She and Daryl both watched as the door opened and a man in camouflage stepped out.

"Daryl that's Matt," she choked out.

Matt swung at the walker with the butt of his gun and Merle climbed out of the passenger side.

"Where the hell did they get that?" Daryl muttered.

Layna felt relief wash over her, almost thankful for the first time to see Merle. She stood up, but stayed by Gracie's couch while Daryl headed outside to meet them.

"Did they bring food?" Gracie asked, reminding Layna of the rumbling she was feeling in her own stomach.

"I sure hope so," Layna answered her.

She watched Daryl, Matt, and Merle as they carried a few camouflage duffel bags out of the vehicle and back toward the house.

"Matt has balls after all," Merle laughed as he entered the living room, following behind Daryl. "I gotta say I was starting to wonder."

Matt gave Merle a disapproving look and laid a duffel bag on the ground.

"Where the hell did ya'll go?" Daryl asked.

"Just around the houses, looking for food. The pantries and cabinets are cleared out. I guess the military did it when they were making their rounds and cleaning up," Matt answered.

Daryl pointed outside. "Where'd ya'll get the truck?"

"Ran into a few of them hazmat wearin fools," Merle muttered.

"You stole their truck?" Layna asked.

"Somethin like that," Matt murmured.

"Naw they shot at us. It was two of em. They're all decked out in them yellow outfits like they think we're sick. We surprised em and shot back," Merle smirked, seeming a little prouder than he should be.

"We did what we had to," Matt said softly. He squatted on the floor and started pulling things out of the duffel bag. "There was were some first aid materials in the vehicle. Here's some tape that we can wrap Gracie's foot with." He held up the tape to Layna and she held out her hands. He tossed it to her and continued going through the bag.

"I knew they were gonna be sending people out like that," Matt murmured. "It's only gonna be a matter of time before we run into more of them. I don't know why they're dressed in hazmat suits, but it's just making things more complicated for us. There's some extra suits in the back of the vehicle. Might come in handy."

"Saw a few damn walkers too," Merle muttered as he tossed another duffel bag on the end of the couch unoccupied by Gracie.

"We have to find some food," Daryl said quickly. "I know Gracie is starvin."

Merle pulled a pistol out of the bag and shoved it in the waistband of his jeans right alongside the one already in his possession. Layna still wondered where he'd gotten the first one from. He'd shown up out of nowhere and shot the guard that had her cornered.

"Daryl, here," he pulled out another small pistol and held it out to him. Daryl took it coldly without as much of a glance at Merle.

"Where'd ya'll get these?" He looked down at the pistol in his hands.

Layna eyed the two pistols in Merle's possession.

"I don't get one?" She demanded stared back at her as he rested his hand on the pistols at his waist.

"Daryl makes sure he don't leave your sight why the hell do you need one?"

"Just give her one Merle," Daryl ordered.

"Can she even shoot? I say leave the guns to those who know what they're doin. Ain't got enough ammo to waste."

Layna scowled at him.

"Can you shoot?" Matt asked.

"Yes," Layna answered him quickly.

"Give her one," Matt ordered. "Can't use both of them at once now can ya?"

Layna took a glance at Merle's stump, wondering if Matt had said it like that purposefully. She could tell that Matt already wasn't a big fan of Merle.

Merle jerked one of the pistols out and held it out to her. He glared back at her as she reached out and snatched it quickly.

"You teach her how to shoot little brother?" he asked."Naw, she already knew," Daryl muttered as he slipped his pistol into his waistband.

"They were in the truck," Matt explained.

"We need to start moving again," Matt said. Layna laid her pistol on the coffee table and sat down on the couch beside Gracie.

"I'm really hungry," Gracie murmured.

Layna started to unwrap the gauze like tape as she looked down at Gracie's ankle."Do you need some help?" Matt asked. He made his way over to the couch, leaving the bag he'd been going through.

"Sure," Layna said softly. She let Matt take the roll of tape out of her hands and got up so that he could sit on the couch.

"What are we going to do about food?" Layna asked as she watched Matt gingerly reach for Gracie's foot.

Matt looked back up from his work, meeting her eyes with his warm brown ones. "I don't know yet."

She broke their eye contact and looked back down at Gracie.

"I bet we still have food back at the place I was stayin before them assholes brought me into the city," Merle suggested.

"Where were you staying?" Matt diverted his attention away from Gracie, but still held her ankle in his lap.

"Campground. We were staying in the cabins. It's real grown up and far out in the woods. We had tons of food and shit."

"They would've taken all the useful supplies when they picked ya'll up," Matt said.

"They didn't snatch us up there. They caught us in the town a few miles away."

Layna looked at Matt and then Daryl, trying to decide if they liked Merle's idea or thought it was worth even going to see. They sat in silence for a little while. Matt wrapped Gracie's ankle while Merle and Daryl stood by and watched.

"Did you get the last bag out of the truck?" Matt asked suddenly as he looked back at Merle.

"I'll get it," Daryl murmured. He headed out the door and Merle followed him.

* * *

Daryl headed toward the camouflage vehicle, anxious to see what all was in it that they could use.

"I see you trust ole Matt around your girl," Merle voice made him whirl around.

Daryl glared back at Merle, feeling another flash of anger.

"I see you haven't changed one fuckin bit," he shot back.

"Everybody's changed, boy," Merle muttered under his breath. "I didn't think you'd change but you sure did didn't ya?

"What the hell were you trying to do last night?" Daryl growled, suddenly changing the subject.

"What the hell did she say?"

"She didn't. Matt did."

"Just a damn misunderstanding."

"So that's what your callin em now? Misunderstandings?" Daryl asked angrily as he started walking back toward the vehicle.

"What the hell do you want little brother? You want ole Merle to go off and leave ya'll alone so you can live happily ever after? I know what you wanted. You wanted me to die out there on that rooftop. Couldn't just shoot me. Didn't want my blood on your hands did ya?"

Daryl shook his head as he stared back at his brother. "Are you telling the truth about this camp? There's really food and supplies? I don't wanna drag Gracie and Layna all the way out there to find out it's another bust."

"I swear to God," Merle muttered. "It's the damn truth. Why would I lie? I'm hungry too dammnitt."

Merle propped himself up against the vehicle. "Me and the group stocked that place up. Had everything worked out up there."

"Group?" Daryl asked.

"It was ten of us," Merle muttered. "Just men."

Daryl stared back at Merle.

"Don't look at me like that Darlina. They ain't there no more. Your girl ain't gonna be in no trouble. Place is empty out there. I told you we all got picked up and took to the city…all at the same time."

"How do you know that's what I was worried about?" Daryl asked quickly. "Merle, now that you bring it up like that maybe you and Matt should go, and not bring Layna and Gracie into anything," he muttered.

"Why the hell are you volunteering me for everything? I got one damn hand Daryl," Merle growled. "I told you none of them are gonna be there."

"Or me and you can go," Daryl snapped. "But I don't think.."

"I find it funny that you are so damn protective of her, but you'll leave Matt with her. He looks like he's her age. You ain't worried?"

Daryl flicked his eyes back up at Merle. "What the hell are you trying to do?"

"He looks at her," Merle lowered his voice. "You think she really loves you? Or is she just using you?"

"Shut the hell up," Daryl growled. He turned away from Merle and started back toward the house.

"Whoa hold up now. Just watch em. You don't know him, but you trust him more than your own brother. I'm trying to get you ready for when she finally drops your ass."

"Why are you always starting shit?" Daryl grumbled as he pointed his finger at his brother.

"I'm not starting shit, little brother. "You can't trust girls like her. I'm just getting you ready. Trying to save you the hurt. You don't need her."

Daryl tightened his hands into fists. He could feel himself ready to snap.

"What has she ever done wrong?" Daryl roared, bounding back into Merle's face.

"She's a tease," Merle muttered.

He stared back at Daryl, stone faced.

"Fuck you," Daryl muttered. "If you think so damn low about her then why the hell did you save her in the city?"

Merle stared back at him, his expression still cold.

"Just grab the last bag," Daryl growled. He turned and started back toward the house, leaving Merle leaning against the vehicle.

* * *

Matt finished dressing Gracie's foot and laid it back down on the pillows.

"There ya go. We'll have you back and walking in no time," he smiled down at her as he stood up.

"Thank you," Layna said softly. "I've never had to wrap an ankle before."

"No problem," he said quickly.

Layna glanced out the window. She could see Daryl and Merle by the vehicle. It was obvious that they were arguing. Daryl swung his arms angrily as he paced and pointed at Merle.

She bit down on her bottom lip as she turned back from the window. Matt's eyes met hers again.

"You alright?"

"Oh yeah," Layna answered him quickly.

"I didn't mean to intrude last night," he said softly. "I just heard a noise and when I walked in the kitchen I.."

"It's okay," she interrupted him. "I'm glad you did."

"I know that something is going on," Matt murmured.

"Matt," Layna started. "Just don't…."

"You don't have to tell me, but if you need anything let me know," he finished.

Layna nodded back at him, thankful that he wasn't wanting an explanation.

"I'm gonna get the two of ya'll back to safety," Matt said. "Whatever it takes."

"Thank you," she murmured.


	9. Chapter 9

_Well this is the longest I've ever gone without updating a story. Sorry. Guest you made me finally get off my lazy butt and start working on this story again. I know how aggravating it is getting interested in a story and then the writer stops writing it. Sorry again guys._

Layna stood by the window as she watched Matt, Merle, and Daryl load everything back into the army vehicle they'd stolen. It was settled. They would be leaving and heading out to the campground Merle had been staying at. She couldn't believe that they were actually taking Merle's word for something, but they were desperate and hungry.

Daryl turned from the vehicle and his eyes met hers through the window. Layna gave him a slight forced smile and he started back toward the house in a quick jog. She stepped away from the window and took a deep breath. It was absolutely unbearable seeing Merle. She constantly found herself wondering what he was thinking. It was probably nothing she wanted to hear, but she wondered. It took everything she had to put on a front and hide the emotional turmoil she felt inside.

The door opened and Daryl stepped in. He shut the door back behind him and looked at her.

"We're gonna be alright," he murmured as he stepped closer to her. His hand caught hers and Layna let him pull her body to his. She stared into his eyes, trying to hide the worry and everything that she felt.

"I know," she lied.

"We're gonna get Gracie and all of us food and water from Merle's old place and then we're gonna get moving."

Layna nodded and was surprised when Daryl's lips suddenly met hers. His kiss was desperate, and his hands moved to her neck. One moved to her face, tilting it to meet his every movement.

Layna put her hand on his shoulder and pulled away from him, surprised at his sudden desperation.

"What's wrong?" she whispered breathily. She searched his eyes.

"Nothing," he answered her quickly.

He released her and took a step back when the door opened beside them. Matt stepped in. He glanced at them and Daryl's hand reached out and grabbed hers once again.

"Are we ready to put her in the truck?" Matt asked as he pointed to Gracie.

Layna nodded.

"I got her," Daryl said quickly, surprising both Matt and Layna with the gruffness in his voice.

Layna's eyes met his, but he broke their eye contact.

"Okay," Matt murmured. "We've got everything else so just whenever ya'll are ready."

The man turned and walked back outside, shutting the door back behind him.

Layna searched Daryl's face, trying to figure out what was wrong. He left her side and stopped beside Gracie's couch. His hands touched her foot tenderly before he reached down and scooped her up carefully.

"You're bein so good," Daryl murmured to Gracie.

"She is," Layna said with a smile.

* * *

Layna stared out the window of the army vehicle. She, Gracie, and Daryl shared the backseat while Merle rode up front with Matt. Layna tried to block out Merle's voice as he explained the directions to the campground he'd been staying at.

"Where are we going?" Gracie asked softly.

Layna placed her hand on her daughter's thigh. "We're going to find something to eat sweetie," she murmured. "Then we're gonna head out to find Aunt Lori, Carl, Uncle Rick and everybody else."

"Where'd they go?" Gracie asked.

"We think they got bussed over to Alabama," she answered her.

"Alabama?" Gracie asked softly.

"Take that trail," Merle said loudly. He pointed out of the windshield to an overgrown trail.

"That's a trail?" Matt muttered.

"Yeah that's what I fuckin called it," Merle spat.

"Hey," Daryl said gruffly. "Don't talk like that around her."

Merle turned in his seat and gave Daryl a scowl. Layna immediately dropped her eyes to the floorboards so that their eyes wouldn't meet.

Layna's stomach rumbled as they rode down the overgrown path. Bushes and tree limbs reached out over the path like the dead fingers of walkers reaching. The farther they rode into the woods, the darker it became.

"No wonder ya'll didn't get caught here," Matt muttered. "I wouldn't have even though there'd be anything in here. Just looks like an overgrown hunting path."

"That was the idea," Merle rasped. "Your asshole friends caught us when we were looking for supplies out in a town though."

"They're not my friends," Matt murmured.

Merle snorted in response.

Layna stared out the window at a few cabins sitting randomly underneath the spindly Georgia pines. Matt pulled the vehicle in front of the first one and stopped it.

"I'm just gonna sit with her," Layna whispered to Daryl.

Daryl nodded and opened his door. He checked his waistband for his pistol as he climbed out. Layna took a glance to the floorboards where the pistol she'd been given was sitting.

"I'm gonna go check the place out," Merle said as he climbed out of his door. "Ya'll can just hang tight for a minute. All the supplies and shit ain't in these close cabins. Ain't really nothin in em."

They shut the doors, leaving Layna and Gracie alone in the vehicle. Layna let out a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Gracie's hand connected with hers, making Layna's eyes flick back open.

"Yeah," she answered her quickly. "Momma's just tired."

Layna squeezed Gracie's hand gently, making her daughter smile up at her.

"I love you," Gracie whispered. She snuggled her head against Layna's arm.

"I love you too," Layna said softly.

Silence fell around them once again. Layna strained her ears to hear the muffled voices of Matt and Daryl standing beside the vehicle.

"You hear that?" Daryl's voice was muffled but Layna could still make out what he was saying by reading his lips.

Matt nodded and Daryl looked toward the woods.

"I'm gonna check it out," Daryl said. He turned to look through the window and opened the door.

"I'll be right back. Matt will be here," he murmured.

"Where are you going?" Layna asked nervously.

"I'm gonna check something out real quick. Just stay in here."

Layna nodded. "Okay."

She watched Daryl stalk off into the woods and prayed that he wouldn't run into anybody or anything. It'd been a while since they had to kill their own walkers and fight the living. Living in the city under careful watch of the military spoiled them.

A few minutes passed by and Layna initiated a game of "I Spy" with Gracie, trying her best to keep her busy and keep their minds off of their rumbling stomachs.

Matt opened the door and poked his head in.

"Will you be alright here? I'm gonna run see what Daryl's doin."

Layna nodded. "What did he go after?"

"Just a noise," Matt murmured. "We'll be right back. Just stay in the vehicle. You have your gun?"

Layna took another glance down at her gun on the floorboards. "Yeah," she answered him.

"Good," Matt shut the door behind him and started in the direction Daryl had gone. He pulled his own pistol out as he entered the undergrowth of the woods.

"Who is he?" Gracie murmured.

"Matt's a soldier. He's here to protect me, you, and Daddy," Layna answered her daughter softly as she watched Matt disappear through the same bushes that Daryl had just gone through.

"Not Matt. Him," Gracie touched the glass window with her finger as she pointed at Merle. He was exiting one of the nearby cabins.

Layna stared back at Gracie's innocent and curious face.

"He's your daddy's brother," she finally murmured.

"You don't like him do you momma?" Gracie asked.

Layna felt numb. The familiar uneasy feeling panged in her stomach and her chest tightened.

She finally shook her head slowly. "We don't get along," she murmured.

"Why?" Gracie pressed on. Her green eyes sparkled with newfound interest.

"We just don't Gracie," Layna said a little more coldly.

The look on her daughter's face made her regret her tone.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "We just don't like each other."

"Does him and Daddy get along?" Gracie asked a little quieter.

"No," Layna answered her quickly.

"They fight?" her daughter asked.

Layna nodded.

"Just don't talk to him, Gracie. Stay away from him. He's not a good person."

"What happened to his hand?" Gracie asked.

Layna chewed at her bottom lip.

"Gracie, sweetheart, Let's not talk about this right now. How's your ankle? You think you'll be able to walk soon?" Layna attempted to change the subject.

"It feels a little better," Gracie said as she craned her neck to look at her ankle.

Layna looked back out of the window. Merle was on his way over to the vehicle.

"Oh God," Layna muttered under her breath.

"What does he want?" Gracie asked.

"I don't know," Layna said.

She clicked the lock on the door instinctively as he locked eyes with her through the glass of the window.

He reached for the door handle and flicked his eyes back up to meet hers once her realized it was locked.

"Open the damn door," he grumbled.

Layna swallowed hard and rolled the window down halfway. Merle gripped the remaining glass of the window as he leaned in.

"What do you want?" Layna asked. Her tone was cold, but it was the only way to hide the emotion it held.

"C'mon I need some help. Where that asshole go with my brother?"

"They heard something," she said simply.

"Well c'mon. Can't do everythin one handed," he snapped.

"Why me?" she stuttered.

"What are you waiting on?" he demanded. "I need you to help me carry some shit. We gotta get the hell outta here. Somebody's been stayin here."

"What?" she asked nervously. "Who?"

"If I knew then I wouldn't be in such a damn hurry now would I?" he snapped. "Get out here and help me. I'm tryin to get our asses outta here before whoever it is gets back."

Layna pulled herself out of the vehicle and shut the door back behind her.

"Stay here until I get back," She ordered through the half opened window.

Gracie's eyes were wide but she nodded.

Layna took a deep breath, and against her better judgment, followed Merle toward the farthest cabin. Everything about if felt wrong. Halfway there she froze. The gun. She'd left her gun in the vehicle. What if she needed it? Layna took a long look back at the vehicle yards away and then out to the woods Daryl and Matt had disappeared in to.

"Come the fuck on," Merle's raspy voice made her turn back to face him.

Layna started walking again. She followed Merle on toward the cabin once again.

"If that shit ain't in here then I don't know where it is. Somebody done fuckin moved it or took it," he muttered angrily.

"Who the hell are ya'll!"

Layna jumped at the voice. A black man stood, rifle in hand. He'd just stepped out of side door of the cabin.

"Aye man I thought you were a goner," Merle said. He had his own pistol drawn at the man in his only hand. Merle's voice came out calm and collected but she'd seen him jump too.

"What the hell you doing back Merle?" the black man demanded. "Ya'll left me for dead. Can't just show yo face back here."

"I came back for my share of food and water. I ain't stickin around here," Merle muttered.

"That ain't yo food and water no more."

"Yes it is. Where'd ya move it?" Merle said sharply.

"Ya'll left me for dead," the man said again. "Whatever the hell happened to the rest of ya'll that made ya'll have to leave here and leave all your supplies and shit. Ya'll deserved it."

Layna took a few steps back and positioned herself behind Merle, still keeping her distance from him as well. Merle took a quick glance at her.

"I'll make a deal," Merle rasped. "Make it all up to ya."

"What kinda deal?" The black man muttered. His interest seemed to be sparked immediately.

"I see ya looking at her," Merle said.

Layna's blood ran cold. The gun he had pointed at the black man met the side of her face, surprising her completely.

"Her name's Layna. Ya like her?" Merle finished.

Layna's mouth fell open. She glared back at Merle and then met the black man. The black man relaxed as soon as Merle's pistol left him. He lowered his rifle a little.

"We'll trade her for the supplies," Merle said.

"Momma!" Gracie's small voice came from the rolled down window of the army vehicle, making Layna turn back to take a heartbreaking look at her daughter.

"Who's that?" The black man craned his neck to try and see inside the vehicle.

"Her kid. She ain't part of the deal," Merle said sharply. "Just Layna."

"Why are ya tryin to trade her?" the man asked. "Somethin wrong with her?"

"Does it look like somethin is wrong with her?" Merle asked angrily. "You sayin you wouldn't touch her if you had the chance? She's right damn pretty. Got warm skin. When was the last time you felt the warm skin of a pretty little thing?" Merle asked.

"What are you doing?" Layna shrieked.

Merle broke eye contact with her once again.

"You want her I'll give her to you for the supplies," Merle tried again.

The black man shook his head slowly.

"Aw come on man. How long has it been? A piece of this is better than any of that shitty food we had stocked," Merle rasped.

"Ya can't live off love Merle," the man muttered.

"I beg to differ," Merle said. "Look at her."

"Daryl is going to kill you," Layna gritted through her teeth. "Matt too."

"Shut…Up," Merle muttered. He pressed the pistol to her temple and motioned to her with his stump to move forward.

Layna didn't move. Instead she stared back at the man Merle was trying to trade her off to. He locked eyes with her and scratched his chin.

"You done had her?" The man asked.

Layna clenched her teeth so tightly that her jaws hurt. She stared back at Merle numbly, waiting to see what he would say.

Merle stared back at the man for a few seconds, but the seconds felt like hours, slowly dragging on.

"C'mon man we ain't got all day," Merle said, quickly changing the subject.

"Ya don't want everythin though?" The man asked. "Just your part of the supplies?"

"Yeah," Merle said quickly. "I wouldn't leave ya with absolutely nothin. Just tell me where ya put everythin."

"Everythin is in the room in there. Locked up. Key's in my pocket. Give me the girl first. And then I'll give you the supplies."

Panic tightened Layna's chest.

"Go," Merle gritted through his teeth. "Go on girl."

Layna gave him a desperate look. A silent plea.

Where was Daryl and Matt?"

Layna could hear soft crying from inside the vehicle and it sent a rush of adrenaline through her.

"No," she said sharply. "I'm not doing anything you're crazy."

Merle pulled the hammer back on his pistol. "I said go."

"Merle," Layna said nervously. "Daryl is gonna be back any second. Matt too. You can't be serious."

"Just do what I fuckin said!" Merle growled. "You don't want that little girl to see me shoot you."

Layna's mouth fell open once again. "You're never gonna change," she murmured coldly.

She turned back to look at the man who was anxiously watching their argument. She swallowed hard. The black man was tall and lanky. He wasn't well built. She finally decided that she'd be able to fight him off if need be. She hoped she could anyway. Layna took a deep breath and started across the pine straw covered ground between Merle and the man. Her heartbeat thudded loud in her chest. The man's rifle moved back to Merle, but his eyes stayed on her until she stopped a few feet away from him. What was she going to do? Layna tried to think desperately, frantically.

"Keep your gun on her. She might run off," Merle said quickly.

The black man's gun left Merle and pointed right at her.

She swallowed hard but stayed still.

"Go inside," the man said to her. He nodded his head behind him toward the cabin he'd come out of.

Layna shook her head slightly and the black man seemed taken back. He clenched his teeth together and pointed the gun at her desperately. The man wasn't as strong or smart as Merle. She could see the weakness and nervousness in his eyes.

"She ain't gonna listen to me," The man said quickly.

"Make her," Merle said simply.

Layna glared back at Merle.

"Do what he said," Merle growled. His gun was still pointed at her too, and Layna couldn't think of a single escape plan. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run and Gracie was alone in the vehicle. Would she have time to make it to her if she didn't get shot by one of the crazy men first?

Layna turned slowly and started toward the house, keeping her pace dragging and barely moving. She was waiting for Daryl and Matt to come to her rescue. They had too. Layna turned her head for a quick scan of the area, hoping she'd see them rushing toward them. She didn't see them though. She only saw the black man turning his head to watch her leave. She turned her head back toward the cabin as a gun shot rang through the air.

* * *

"What the hell are you doin out here?" Daryl roared.

Matt seemed taken back. He stopped in his tracks and then his eyes fell on the walkers that Daryl had found.

"I was just comin to see what you'd went after," he stuttered nervously. "What the hell is this?" he moved closer to the walker caught in a snare. The bell tinkled loudly with every move that the walker made.

"You left Layna and Gracie with him?" Daryl asked angrily.

"Yeah but he wasn't in the vehicle. He was scoping out the houses."

"Don't matter!" Daryl growled. He shoved Matt hard with his shoulder as he hurried passed him.

"What the hell is this?" Matt asked again.

The walker groaned and gurgled as it reached it's lifeless fingers toward the man. The tinkling of the bell grew louder and became more desperate.

"Holy shit," Matt muttered. "There's more?"

Daryl turned back. "Yeah. A bunch. Somebody must still be stayin here. We gotta get the hell outta here."

"I wanted to ask you what was going on with Merle and her," Matt blurted out suddenly.

Daryl turned back to look at him.

"I know something is going on. He's your brother right?"

Daryl scowled back at the young man.

"You are one dumb son of a bitch. You knew something was going on but you left her with him?" Daryl growled. "Let me guess, you're wondering this because you care about her huh?"

"Whoa wait. Did Merle say something to you? I'd never put a move on her. I swear," Matt said defensively.

A sudden gun shot exploded through the air, making Daryl's heart sink in his chest.

Daryl sent a frantic glare Matt's way.

"He shot her?" Matt demanded. "Why would he hurt her? He's that crazy?"

Daryl darted back through the bushes and toward the vehicle. Matt's crashing footsteps were right behind him. His mind whirred. Were there other people there? What if Layna and Gracie were in trouble? What had Merle done?

His eyes frantically searched the area as soon as the cabins and vehicle came into view. He darted toward the vehicle, seeing Gracie inside before he even made it all the way to it.

"Where's your momma?" Daryl demanded. He fumbled anxiously with the door handle until he finally got it open.

Gracie's face was tearstained and she wouldn't say anything, but she pointed out the other window, bringing Daryl's attention to one of the faraway cabins. He could see Merle standing.

"I'll be right back!" Daryl slammed the door and darted toward the scene. Matt ran a few feet in front of him, but Daryl caught up with him. They both froze a few feet behind Merle, trying to figure out what had happened or was happening.

"I never like that nigger anyway," Merle muttered coldly.

Daryl stood frozen, taking in the scene before him. Layna was standing close by the cabin. Her hand covered her mouth as she looked back at Merle. She stood a few feet away from a black man's crumpled body.

"Daryl!" Layna shrieked. She bounded passed the body and Merle, practically jumping into his arms.

Daryl caught her. Her entire body was shaking. Daryl looked back to Matt and then back toward the cabin.

"What happened? "Daryl demanded. He looked passed Layna and to Merle. His brother brought the pistol in his hand down to hang by his side. He turned back to face the three of them.

"Your brother…" Layna choked the words out as she sucked a few deep breaths into her lungs.

"What did you do?" Matt roared before Daryl even had the chance.

"I saved her and got us supplies," Merle muttered simply.

"He tried to trade me _for_ the supplies!" Layna choked out.

"Did you really think I was gonna do that?" Merle demanded.

"You were!" Layna shrieked as she pulled herself away from Daryl.

"What the hell Merle!" Daryl roared. Anger seared through his veins like fire.

"Calm the fuck down," Merle grumbled. "He didn't even touch her. I shot him as soon as she got far enough away from him. It was the plan all fuckin along."

"You tried to trade her for supplies?" Matt gritted through his teeth.

"I wasn't gonna actually give her to him. I knew what I was doin-"

"But she didn't know!" Matt exploded. "She didn't know of your miraculous and brave plan to step in and save her at the last damn minute.'

"Calm your shit," Merle yelled. "I know where all the supplies are now. He told me. That was the deal."

Daryl glared back at his brother and then back at Merle. He was speechless. He was surprised, but not completely.

"You are crazy as hell," Matt spat. "How did you even come up with this damn idea?"

Merle shrugged. "He was lookin at her. Money ain't no good no more. People's needs change out here, man."

Matt took a few pacing steps and ran a hand exasperatedly through his hair.

"Are you okay?" Daryl turned his attention back to Layna.

"I guess," she said softly, but her eyes wouldn't meet his. Instead, she continued to look back at the cabin where the black man's body lied crumpled.

"I'm going back to the vehicle," she murmured.

Daryl stood frozen as she turned away from him.

Layna walked back to the vehicle where Gracie was crying inside. She opened the door and slipped in.

Daryl turned back to his brother. He wore a satisfied smile on his face.

"What if you would've missed?" Daryl asked angrily.

"I didn't. Popped that sucker right in the head."

"What if you would have hit her?" Daryl latched onto the front of Merle's shirt and leaned his angry face in to meet his.

"I. Didn't." Merle growled slowly.

"Daryl, hey man," Matt reached for his arm, but Daryl pulled away.

"Daryl, everybody is pissed off at each other just calm down," Matt tried again. His voice sounded anything but confident.

"I'm just pissed at _him_!" Daryl growled.

"You can be pissed at me all ya fuckin want," Merle muttered. "But now everybody is gonna have food in their belly. Ya wanted that little girl to starve?"

Daryl clenched his teeth together. He loosened his hold on Merle's shirt and stepped away from him. He was so angry that he was seeing red. The air around him felt hot and stuffy and Merle's smirk only made the situation worse.

"Now, because of me that little girl's gone have a belly full of food," Merle muttered.

"Like you care anyway," Daryl shot back.

He turned away from Merle and Matt and hurried toward the vehicle. Layna still had the door open so he slid into the backseat beside her quickly and easily.

"Are you okay?" He demanded. He tried to steady his voice as he looked from Layna's wide eyes to Gracie's tearstained face.

Layna nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry I didn't know Matt was gonna leave you with him. I-"

"Merle's out of control, Daryl," Layna interrupted him. She leaned her face down on Gracie's head as she hugged her tight.

"But he didn't let him touch you? He didn't do anything to Gracie?" Daryl demanded.

"No, he didn't," Layna said softly.

"Why are ya cryin Gracie?" Daryl asked softly. He craned his neck to see around Layna.

"He said she wasn't part of the deal," Layna said. "It was just me. Gracie is just scared."

Daryl let out a breath of relief.

"You're brother is mean," Gracie whimpered.

Daryl froze at her words. He looked back to Layna. She had to have told Gracie they were brothers.

"I'm sorry," he murmured after a few minutes of silence. It was all he could say. He was so angry that it clouded his mind. He glared back out the window at Merle. Both he and Matt were headed into the cabin, no doubt heading to reap Merle's rewards and get the supplies.

"He had no right to do that," Daryl muttered under his breath.

"Has he had a right to do _anything_ he's done so far?" Layna asked softly.

_Please Review! Hope you guys are still with me. Once again, sorry for the long break._


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks for the Reviews! I know, Merle is an asshole haha. _

_**Gingercat**__- Do you mean you pity Merle? You're the very first person I've seen say that haha._

_**Dino-SOAR- **__Well Maggie, Glenn, and T-dog were in the chaos in the city and we don't know where they are at the moment. Maybe they got bussed over with the other refugees that made it. We'll hopefully find out._

_I worked really hard to get this chapter finished today and keep my word that I would finish this story soon. Still not sure how many more chapters it will take to finish it off. Hope you like it!_

Daryl stirred beans in a pot. The pot was suspended by some contraption that kept it hanging above the flames of the small campfire he'd started. They'd taken the contraption when they'd taken all of the food supplies from the campground. The five of them had stopped at another nearby house to lay low, regain their strength, and fill their bellies.

The sun was just now beginning to fall behind the tree line, casting shadows over the yard. Merle sat nearby, but Daryl wasn't acknowledging his brother. He didn't want him around him and Merle was smart enough to know that. He was also smart enough to know that he wasn't wanted in the house where Layna, Matt, and Gracie were waiting eagerly for the food he was heating. The smell of the canned beans wafted up from the pot and he inhaled the scent hungrily. They'd found themselves back to scrounging around and settling for whatever they could find. Daryl hadn't even thought that they would be back here again. After five years all seemed to be fine. It obviously was not.

"So ya gonna just pretend I ain't here?" Merle asked from the other side of the fire. He was sitting on a blue five gallon bucket turned upside down, much like the white one Daryl was sitting on.

"If you think what ya did back there was right then you're crazier than I thought," Daryl muttered. He retrieved the spoon from the pot and looked back at his brother.

"Can't everybody be as perfect as you baby brother," he rasped.

"I'm always runnin around cleanin up your damn messes," Daryl growled. "Even when we were little!"

"Bullshit," Merle muttered.

Daryl gritted his teeth and focused on the beans sticking in the pot. He couldn't think of a single time he and Merle had willingly gotten along, but he couldn't think of a single time he'd been just this angry at him either. The fire between them was the only thing keeping Daryl from lunging at him and taking a swing or too.

"You didn't have to take up fatherhood, Daryl. I know that's my main mess up that you're talking about," Merle said. "Nobody said you had too."

"Gracie wasn't the mess up," he muttered back. She needed somebody to care about her. I stepped up and did what you were too stupid to do."

"How the hell do you know I wouldn't have cared for her? You and her momma left me cuffed to the God forsaken roof before I even got a chance."

"Ain't no way in hell you could care about her, Merle. Cause you sure as hell don't care about her momma," Daryl roared as he jumped to his feet. He pointed the spoon at Merle.

"You don't know who I care about and who I don't," Merle muttered. He stayed seated with his elbows propped on his legs.

"You hurt her. You're fuckin delusional, Merle!" Daryl exploded once again. "She doesn't even want you to care about her or Gracie. Not now."

"She didn't wanna have your baby," Daryl added. "She didn't have a choice at all. You took that away from her."

"How many times do I have to tell you. It. Was. A. Mistake," Merle climbed to his feet. "I'd take it back okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? You want me to scream it to high heavens? Oh God I. was. Stupid! Please forgive me!" Merle pleaded sarcastically.

Merle headed toward him around the fire as Daryl busied himself unhooking the pot from the contraption. He used an old pair of oven mitts that Layna had found in the kitchen of the abandoned house, but he was so angry that he burnt himself anyway.

"No," Daryl snapped as he focused on the stinging pain of his fingers. "I don't wanna hear it." He pushed passed Merle and headed back to the house with the pot in his hands.

* * *

Layna sat on a brown lumpy couch in the small living room of the abandoned house. Gracie sat beside her, completely mesmerized by a magic trick that Matt was showing her. He was crouched beside the couch, wiggling a pencil in his fingers. He was smiling nearly as much as Gracie was.

Layna couldn't help but smile herself as she watched her daughter's mouth fall open. The Lantern sitting near them cast light onto Gracie's face and sparkled in her green eyes.

"See I turned it to rubber," Matt said with a smirk.

"Nuh uh," Gracie murmured. "How?"

"The magic words I said," Matt said. His eyes met Layna's and he gave her a quick wink.

Layna smiled back at him and dropped her eyes back to watch Gracie.

Gracie reached her anxious fingers out and grabbed the pencil from Matt's hand.

"Hey," she cried out. She frantically rolled the pencil over in her hands, studying it.

"Uh see you messed it up," Matt said as he shook his head.

"Well make it turn back," Gracie held the pencil back out to him and he took it from her.

"Ava cadabra," Matt waved his fingers over the pencil mysteriously and then returned it back to its "rubber" form. He wiggled it and Gracie was once again drawn in.

"Whoa," she murmured.

"Want me to show you how to do it?" He asked Gracie as he sat down on the end of the couch by her.

Gracie nodded quickly.

"Okay look," he held the pencil out in front of her. "It's not really magic. It's a trick."

"You tricked me," she said quickly.

"Yeah I did I'm sorry," he laughed quietly.

"You just wiggle it like this and it looks like rubber, doesn't it?" he said as he wiggled the pencil once again.

"Momma look!" Gracie turned back to face her with the pencil in her hand. Layna watched Gracie's eyes light up as she wiggled the pencil in her own hand.

"Whoa," Layna laughed.

"I've gotta show this to Carl!" Gracie said excitedly.

Matt laughed.

Layna turned at the sound of the door opening. Daryl kicked it open with his foot. He held a pot in his hands.

"Daddy look!" Gracie bounded off of the couch and hurried to Daryl, wiggling the pencil in her hands. Her brown curls bounced with the excitement in her step.

"Looks like somebody's feeling better," Layna said.

"Sure does," Matt said with a smile. "Kids make darn quick recoveries don't they."

"What is that?" Daryl asked as he placed the pot on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Magic!" Gracie exclaimed. She stood on her tiptoes, trying her best to keep Daryl's attention.

Daryl reached out and grabbed her wrist, eyeing the pencil. "Looks normal to me," he said.

"Aw don't rain on her parade, Daryl," Layna laughed.

"No, Daddy. Look when I wiggle it," Gracie wiggled the pencil and a smile crossed Daryl's face.

"What'd ya do to it?" he asked.

"It's rubber now," Gracie said.

"Tell Daryl who showed you that," Layna murmured.

"Matt," Gracie said instantly. "He showed me. He said he'd show me more too. I'm gonna show Carl when we get back home!"

"Oh," Daryl said. "Yeah you gotta show him."

Layna studied his face. He looked tired, much more tired than usual. He always put on a front for Gracie, but she assumed he and Merle had been arguing.

"Ya'll can eat this. I'm gonna heat up some more for me and Merle," Daryl said. He rubbed his mouth with his hand and then turned back towards the door.

"Thanks," Matt said quickly. "Need any help?"

"Naw," Daryl said quickly. He shut the door back behind him and Layna looked down at the pot in front of them.

"I'll go get bowls," Layna pulled herself up from the couch and headed toward the strange kitchen. The dim afternoon light filtered through the windows, providing just enough to highlight the main features of the kitchen. She searched around until she found spoons and a stack of glass bowls. She pulled them all out of the cabinet and headed back into the living room, lit with the light of the flickering lantern.

Gracie was peering into the pot when Layna placed the stack of bowls and spoons. She placed them on the coffee table and began scooping the beans into three of the bowls.

"Are these for Daddy and his brother?" Gracie asked as her curious fingers trailed on the two bowls that she'd left empty.

Layna nodded.

"Can I take them to them?" Gracie asked.

"No," Layna shot her down immediately. "You need to eat your own. Here," Layna handed her a bowl and spoon. She guided her daughter by her shoulders to the couch beside Matt.

"Are you gonna take them to them?" Gracie asked as she scooted her butt onto the couch cushions.

Layna shook her head. There was no way she was going to take Merle a bowl. She ignored and avoided him the best she could. She wouldn't be willingly putting herself in a situation to interact with him. She held out another bowl to Matt who took it quickly and thankfully.

"I can take them," Matt said.

Layna stopped for a moment, studying his face. He was so young, easygoing, and gentle. He looked like anything but a part of the military. She finally gave in.

"Okay thanks," She murmured.

Matt placed his bowl back onto the coffee table and scooped up the empty bowls. He headed outside as Layna went to one of the supply bags that they'd retrieved from the campground. She pulled out three water bottles and placed them on the coffee table.

"I don't like this," Gracie murmured from her seat on the couch.

Layna placed her hands on her hips, eyeing her daughter from over the coffee table.

"Daddy cooked it for you. It's all we have," she muttered.

Gracie scrunched her face up.

"Look. It's good," Layna picked up her own bowl and took a bite. The hot beans burned her tongue and the roof of her mouth making her spit them back into her bowl.

"Ugh," She cried out quickly.

"See you don't like it either!" Gracie said quickly.

Layna's face broke into a smile and she held her hand over mouth, gritting her teeth until the pain subsided.

"I do like it. It was just hot," Layna eased herself onto the couch beside Gracie.

"Maybe we'll have something better tomorrow," Layna added.

She watched Gracie take a tiny, cautious bite of her own beans and chew them slowly.

The door opened again, bringing Layna's attention from Gracie. Matt entered the room again and headed toward them. He stopped to scoop up a bowl and water bottle before easing back on the couch beside Gracie.

Matt leaned back in the couch with his bowl and glanced her way.

"Thank you," Layna murmured.

"For what?" he asked.

"For taking the bowls and for playing with her. Just keeping her busy."

"Ah, Your welcome," he said as he spooned up a bite.

"What were they doing out there?" Layna asked softly.

"Just sitting," Matt said. "One on one side of the fire and the other on the other."

Layna lowered her eyes back to her bowl. She could only imagine how tense the atmosphere outside would be.

Silence fell around them. The only noises were the slight clinking of their spoons on their bowls of the crinkle of the plastic on their water bottles as they all relished their first meal in days.

"So did you have kids before this, Matt?" Layna finally asked. It was a conversation starter more than anything. She blew on a small bite before sliding it into her mouth.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well I mean you're just so good with her. I just assumed," she trailed off, embarrassed that she'd asked. She brought her eyes back down to her bowl.

"I did actually. A little girl," he said, surprising her.

"Oh," Layna murmured.

"I wasn't ready for her," He said sadly.

"She was a surprise?" Layna asked. She found herself thinking back to Gracie and the entire surprising situation she'd found her own self in.

"Yeah you could say that," Matt said.

"What was her name?" Gracie butted in.

"Gracie-" Layna started.

"Oh it's okay," Matt said. He leaned forward and placed his empty bowl on the coffee table.

"Her name was Leah. And she had curls just like yours Gracie, except they were blonde."

Layna noticed the way he's expression fell. He was remembering and the memories didn't look to be fond ones.

"I wasn't married to her," Matt murmured. "Me and Jen hadn't been together that long when she got pregnant."

Layna realized that he was addressing her now. Gracie listened to him though, completely interested in his story.

"I need to get her to bed," Layna said quickly. It was a hint that she didn't want Gracie in the middle of a conversation that had turned seriously so quickly.

* * *

Daryl shoveled the last bit of beans out of his bowl and into his mouth. Merle had already finished his own bowl and had tossed It onto the ground beside him.

"That Matt kid couldn't have been in the military," Merle muttered.

Daryl ignored his brother. Merle always did shit like that. He'd be so angry one minute and then trying to be buddy buddy the next. Talking and insulting people was his favorite past time, well besides drugs or women, and he loved to get riled up talking about someone.

"He's got this pretty boy look ya know?" Merle continued. "Like a rich boy. I bet he's in there putting the moves on your girl."

"I don't think so," Daryl said sharply. "Just shut the fuck up. I don't wanna hear your shit."

He took a quick scan around the darkening yard. He was only staying outside to make sure that the dying fire didn't attract walkers. Merle just didn't understand how angry he was at him.

* * *

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did," Matt murmured.

"What do you mean?" Layna asked as she sank back onto the opposite side of the lumpy couch.

Gracie had went to sleep with a few minutes. All Layna had to do was lay beside her in the bed of the closest bedroom. Her daughter was happy to be back in a bed. She'd snuggled into the blankets like a butterfly in a cocoon.

"When I found out she was pregnant, I joined the military. Then I felt bad. I tried to see Leah after a while, but Jen wouldn't let me," Matt murmured. He was staring off into the empty space of the living room.

Layna stayed quiet, letting his words sink in. She could see the pain on his face as he recalled memories.

"Jen hated me for leaving her," he murmured.

"So you never saw her?" Layna asked.

"I saw her. After Jen died."

"Car accident," he added sadly. "I didn't get a chance to see my daughter until after her mom died. Her parents took Leah in. I went and saw her, but I didn't try and get custody. She knew Jen's parents already. She'd grown up knowing her grandparents. She didn't know me. I was stranger."

"I'm sorry," Layna murmured.

"I tried to go find her when this happened. When all the shit went wrong. Their house was ransacked and empty. I don't know if she made it or not. I got whisked away to help do this or do that for the military. I couldn't just stay and look."

Layna could nearly feel the sadness that radiated from Matt. She pulled her legs onto the couch and hugged her knees to her chest.

"I just kept telling myself that they made it somewhere safe. Maybe they're in a city being protected."

"How old would she be now?" Layna asked softly, carefully.

"Four," he murmured.

"I was so stupid," he said suddenly. "If I would've stayed I could have protected her."

"You can't blame yourself now," Layna murmured.

Matt let out an uneasy breath. "I'm definitely jealous of Daryl. Of ya'll. Just a bit," he said.

Layna swallowed hard and diverted her gaze from his.

"Daryl's been around Gracie. He got the chance to raise her, be there for her first steps, and she just knows him."

Layna chewed at her bottom lip. Maybe this was why Matt had been so set on helping her and helping get Gracie back to safety. He couldn't help his own daughter so he felt that he could help Gracie.

"I'm sorry that I left you and Gracie in the vehicle alone. I knew I wasn't supposed to leave you with Merle. I just didn't know why-"

"It's okay, Matt," Layna said quickly.

"I asked Daryl what was going on with Merle and he totally blew up on me," Matt continued.

"You asked him?" Layna asked nervously. "Please don't do that."

"I just don't understand what's going on. I've wondered ever since I saw the four of ya'll thrown in that holding cell in the city because of the disturbance you both caused.

"It's not worth retelling," Layna said numbly.

Matt looked back at her. "I told you stuff about me. I've never jut told anyone that before."

"I just can't believe Merle is here," Layna murmured. "I've thought he was dead for over five years. It was easier thinking he was dead."

"He hurt you?" Matt asked softly. His expression looked pained.

Layna felt the familiar lump grow in her throat. Her eyes stung and she squinted them shut.

"Why did I? I'm sorry. Never mind. You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry," Matt apologized quickly.

"Matt," her voice cracked and she stopped. She finally opened her eyes back.

Layna reached up to wipe a tear away. Embarrassment flushed her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed and forced a smile. "I don't know why I still cry about it."

"You don't have to tell me anything," Matt said again. "I didn't mean for you-"

"Daryl's not her real dad. Merle is," the carefully thought out and practiced words rolled off her tongue.

She felt bad. A part of her had wanted to tell him. Wanted to let him know just how vile Merle was. He'd told her a personal story after all, only making her feel more at ease with him. Matt's expression made her immediately regret her decision. He furrowed his eyebrows.

Layna diverted her gaze from his. The tears threatening to spill from her eyes only intensified. Matt need further explanation. The look on his face told her that he couldn't just settle for what she told him.

"He…He attacked… he attacked me when all this shit happened. When the apocalypse first started." Layna left it at that. Matt's expression told her that he understood.

"Oh God Layna. No."

"Daryl took care of me and Gracie. He's nothing like Merle," she added. Her voice shook and she wiped the warm wet tears from her cheeks.

* * *

"So you stayed with her? Stayed with that main group, cops and all after I left?" Merle brought Daryl from his thoughts once again.

Daryl nodded. He didn't even look at Merle. Instead, he stared into the bright orange flames of the flickering fire.

"Did everybody know?"

"Know that you raped her? Yeah," Daryl muttered coldly. "It eventually got out."

"I wasn't thinking," Merle said.

Daryl looked up from the fire. Merle was staring straight ahead. His tone had changed the slightest bit, catching Daryl's attention. Was it remorse? Probably not, but Daryl watched him curiously.

"Yeah well while you and Ed was out raiding drugstores and getting high, I was with Layna," Daryl muttered. He tried his best to strike a chord within his brother. He wanted him to feel remorse, true remorse. Not the fake shit he claimed to feel.

"I listened to her cry herself to sleep every night. Ya know a scientist that checked our blood at the CDC told her she was pregnant? She tried to stay when the building blew up. She tried to commit suicide. She didn't even trust me for a while. All because of you," Daryl glared at Merle as he finished.

Merle's face was frozen. He seemed taken back at Daryl's sudden clarification. The firelight flitted across his brother's now tired looking face.

"It was a shock to me too, "Merle muttered after a few minutes. "Never would have thought I'd have a kid," Merle muttered. "That's my kid in there," he shook his head slowly. "That pretty little girl. Curly brown hair and all."

"Oh a shock to you huh?" Daryl asked coldly. "You don't even know the half of what really feeling shocked feels like."

Daryl could feel his temper flaring even more.

"Layna. You're really in love with that girl aren't ya?" Merle murmured softly.

"Everythin was goin good until your ass showed back up," Daryl muttered angrily.

"It's hard for me stayin here too ya know. Lookin at her and lookin at that little girl. It's fuckin embarrassing," Merle said quickly. "I'm lookin at my mistake right in front of my damn face."

"It's embarrassin for you?" Daryl demanded. "She's havin to look at your face every day now!" If you felt bad about that shit then you wouldn't act like you are. You wouldn't have pulled the shit you did earlier. Tryin to trade Layna for supplies? What the hell?"

"I do fuckin feel bad!" Merle jumped to his feet.

"She ain't gone forgive me no ways. Why the hell do I need to suck up to her? I'm just gonna get slapped in the face. She looks at me with them dagger eyes anyway. Ain't nothing I could do to make things better."

"Just do us all a favor and stay away from her," Daryl climbed to his own feet.

Daryl poured the remainder of his water bottle on the dying fire and tossed the empty plastic bottle in it.

"Keep watch. I'm gonna try to sleep. Nobody wants you inside anyway," Daryl's tone was cold. So cold that even he was surprised.

Merle didn't respond and Daryl didn't wait for him to. He was beyond fed up with his older brother. Time and time again he'd forgiven him over stupid stuff only to be screwed over by him again. Well not anymore, Daryl thought angrily.

When Daryl entered the lantern lit living room, he scanned it quickly. Matt was laying on the couch. At first Daryl thought he was asleep, but the man sat up.

"Where are they?" Daryl asked.

"They're in one of the bedrooms back there," Matt answered him and then laid back on the couch.

Daryl turned down the hallway and stopped in the doorway of the first bedroom. The lantern light illuminated a small portion of the room and he could see the form of Gracie and Layna's bodies underneath the sheet. Gracie was snuggled up close to Layna. Her tiny body was on the edge of the bed. Her brown curls splayed onto the pillow.

Daryl slowly tiptoed into the room. He moved into the darkness on the other side of the bed and eased his body onto the bed carefully. The mattress creaked slightly and he heard Layna stir beneath the sheet.

"Hey," Layna turned away from Gracie and faced him as he finally slipped underneath the sheets.

"Ya'll get full?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Layna said softly. She sniffled and Daryl strained his eyes to try and see her face in the darkness. She'd been crying. He could hear it in her voice.

She scooted closer to him and laid her head beside his on the pillow. Her hair tickled his face like it always did and her face eased into the crook of his neck. He felt the dampness of her cheeks touch his skin. Familiar sad pangs tingled through his tired body.

"Are you okay?" he murmured.

Daryl couldn't help but think of Merle and their conversations outside. She wasn't okay. She wouldn't be until Merle was gone.

The only response he got was another slight sniffle. A quiet and stifled whimper escaped her throat and Daryl clenched his teeth together.

"I love you," Daryl said instinctively.

Layna was the first and only person besides Gracie that he said that too. He wrapped his hands around her, gently pulling her closer to him.

"I love you too," he relaxed his body as soon as the shaky words left her mouth.

_Please Review!_


	11. Chapter 11

**_Leyshla Gisel-_**_ I'm sorry that it's heartbreaking! Haha._

When morning came, Daryl felt even more exhausted than when he'd gotten in bed the night before. He'd thought he would sleep good, finally being in a bed with both Layna and Gracie at arm's length; safe and comfortable, but he was wrong. Layna's soft sniffles and whimpers echoed in his mind, long after she'd fallen asleep tangled in his arms.

The thick curtains in the room were drawn, not allowing any light other than a very dim glimmer through the material. Daryl laid still, listening to someone, probably Matt, moving around in the living room not far away. He wanted to get up, but Layna's head and one of her palms rested gently on his chest. He had his own arms wrapped around her. He'd held her for most of the night. It was all he knew to do, the only way to comfort her. He'd only loosened his grip when he needed to change positions because his arms had fallen asleep or because the lumpy mattress bore into one area of his back for too long.

Gracie was still fast asleep on the other side of Layna. A look of pure contentment sat on her innocent face. She was curled up into a tight ball and one of her hands had a tight hold on the end of Layna's shirt. Gracie did that in her sleep. Daryl remembered when she was smaller she did it more frequently.

Daryl sat for a few more minutes, feeling the warmth of Layna's body and the movement when it rose and fell with each sleep induced breath.

"You're really in love with that girl aren't ya?" Merle's words from the night before repeated in his mind. He did love her. More than he'd ever loved anyone.

Daryl looked down as Layna stirred a little. Her outstretched palm clenched into a fist and she let out a quiet sigh. Her eyelids fluttered a little and then she went still.

_Damn,_ Daryl thought angrily. He should've moved before she fell back asleep. He didn't want to wake her, not while she seemed to be sleeping so soundly.

He stared back up at the ceiling. Brown water spots stained the sheetrock above him, from old leaks no doubt. After a few more minutes he finally moved. He gently moved her hand from his chest and tried to slip out from underneath Layna's head. The mattress creaked loudly and Layna's eyes fluttered open.

"Daryl?" She murmured sleepily.

Daryl eased his weight off the bed and threw the sheet back over her.

"Shhh. Just go back to sleep," he murmured.

Layna let her eyes fall back closed and she sank into the mattress and pillow on his now empty side of the bed.

Her wavy brown hair laid tussled messily over the pillow and Daryl couldn't help but smile a little. She wasn't a morning person, never had been.

He bent down and slipped his dirty boots back on his feet. It was time to face whatever they would have to do today.

Daryl entered the living room. Matt stood with his back to him. He was peering out one of the windows looking out into the side yard where they'd parked the vehicle and had their campfire.

"Walkers out there?" Daryl asked.

Matt whirled back to face him.

"Uh no. I was just looking for your brother. He ain't out there this morning. Didn't come in last night either."

"Good," Daryl snorted quickly. "He was supposed to stay out and keep watch anyway."

Matt turned from the window, letting the dusty, brown curtain fall back into place.

"Did he take the vehicle?" Daryl asked nervously. The sudden thought of Merle taking the vehicle and leaving them practically stranded flashed through his mind.

"No," Matt said quickly. "It's still out there."

Matt looked tired. Maybe Daryl wasn't the only one who hadn't gotten sleep after all. The young man scratched his head as he paced from the window to the couch.

Daryl watched him for a while, but finally reached down and scooped an unopened water bottle off the coffee table. When he looked back up, Matt had stopped and was staring back at him.

"What are ya looking at?" Daryl snapped.

Matt shook his head quickly. "Nothing." He dropped his eyes. "How's Layna?"

"She's fine," Daryl snapped gruffly. He eyed the young man still dressed in his military camouflage. "Why the hell wouldn't she be?"

"She was clearly upset last night, I just-" Matt drifted off as Daryl raised his eyebrows at him.

"Ain't none of your business anyway," Daryl muttered. He slammed his water bottle back down on the coffee table. Matt wouldn't let it rest, and it was beginning to wear on Daryl's tired nerves.

He moved passed Matt quickly and headed to the window.

"I know," Matt said quickly. "It's not my business, but she told me something last night though."

Daryl jerked his head around to face Matt.

"What?" he spat coldly. He locked eyes with him, and Matt backed down immediately.

"She told me the truth," he said unsurely.

Daryl froze. He stared back at the young man.

"The truth huh?" Daryl muttered angrily.

How could she do that? Why would she?

"Why the hell would she tell you?" Daryl demanded.

"I asked," Matt said softly.

"I thought I told you to leave her the hell alone," Daryl growled.

"I know. I'm sorry. I never would have thought..." Matt trailed off and shook his head slowly. "I couldn't even sleep after she told me."

"So that's why she cried herself to sleep," Daryl lowered his voice but it still held a sharp tone. "You made her talk about it!"

"No-" Matt said quickly.

"Don't you dare mention that to her again. Only makes things worse," Daryl pointed his finger angrily into Matt's chest.

"I wouldn't. I'd never. I swear. I wouldn't bring it back up for anything," Matt held his hands up defensively and took a few nervous steps back.

Daryl gritted his teeth together.

"I knew there was something with your brother," Matt murmured. "I just never would've thought-"

"Just shut up," Daryl snapped. "You wanna talk about it with someone go find Merle. Go ahead and press him about it. Find out why he did it. Don't bring the memories back up for us. Go make him feel like shit."

Matt stared wide eyed back at Daryl. He seemed taken back at Daryl's sharp attitude.

"I'm sorry-" he began but Daryl cut him off.

"I think about it every fuckin day anyway. She does too. I don't need anymore reminder and she don't either."

Matt stayed silent and Daryl angrily turned away from him. He pushed the curtains out of the window and peered back outside.

"Speak of the devil," Daryl muttered under his breath. "Merle's back."

* * *

"There's a little camp. There's military men. They've got a little perimeter set up," Merle's voice pierced Layna's light sleep.

She clenched her eyes tighter and reached out to Daryl's side of the bed, realizing that he was no longer there. She felt the cool, sheet at the same time Merle's words actually sank in. A military camp?

Layna sat straight up. The bed creaked loudly and Gracie stretched a little underneath the sheet.

Being woken up to Merle's voice was almost as bad as the bad dreams that had ravished her during the night. She listened hard though, trying to hear what else was being said. She didn't want to go into the living room since Merle was there so she stayed where she was.

"That's where you've been?" Matt asked.

"Yeah. Came right up on it. It ain't far from here," Merle explained.

"Keep it down," Daryl said. "They're still asleep in there."

"Well they can't sleep much longer," Merle muttered. "We can't just stay here forever."

Layna eased herself out of the bed, being careful not to wake Gracie. She was slightly sore from the lumpy mattress. She gave her reflection a quick look as she passed a small wall mirror. Her hair was a mess and she looked tired, despite the night's sleep.

She looked into her dark blue eyes as she strained her ears to hear the conversation from the living room. They'd taken Daryl's warning to heart and lowered their voices. The only thing she could hear was a slight mumble now.

Layna took a deep breath and watched her reflection let it out. She couldn't hide forever. She thought that seeing him would eventually get easier, but it never did. It always left her feeling emotionally drained.

Curiosity eventually got the better of her. Layna opened the door and tiptoed down the hall, pausing beside the doorway to the small living room. She didn't peek in because she didn't want to be seen. Instead, she pressed herself against the hall wall and listened.

"Maybe we can use this to our advantage," Matt said excitedly.

"How? We show our asses up there and we're gonna get shot up," Merle muttered.

Layna winced as soon as he spoke. Even his voice could strike the chord within her, sending her frazzled nerves on edge.

"Yeah. From what we've seen so far, I wouldn't think that they'd take us in," Matt murmured. "I just want to sneak in and find out where all the refugees went, and find out if they would help us."

"Sneak in?" Daryl asked. "Think they'll let you back in?"

"Not like this. I don't have an ID tag," Matt said quickly.

"Well what the fuck man? Go ahead and try that sneakin in plan. There were guards everywhere out there. Hell, I was nervous hiding in the woods watchin em," Merle said.

"I'm gonna go check it out," Matt blurted out.

"By yourself?" Daryl muttered. "Even I don't think it's a good idea and I don't like you much. You think them men are just gonna welcome ya back?"

"Well I noticed more camouflage and ID tags in the vehicle. They wouldn't let me in unless I have an ID tag," Matt said.

"But it ain't yours huh?" Merle muttered. "I don't think them assholes are that dumb. Really think ya can pull off a fake ID?"

"I could probably pass off as one of them. Everybody looks rougher now," Matt muttered. "I'm gonna go get em out of the vehicle."

Layna's eyes bore into the wall beside her. Her heart did a summersault in her chest. Waking up to news like this wasn't what she wanted. It sounded like Matt was going to risk his life sneaking in.

Layna took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows of the hall.

She eased herself through the doorway and further into the living room as Matt disappeared out the door. She didn't allow her eyes to scan the room for Merle. After spotting Daryl right away, she hurried to him. She moved up beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist, surprising him. He turned to face her immediately.

"You okay?" He leaned his face in closer to hers.

"Yeah," Layna kept her eyes locked on his, completely avoiding Merle's hulking figure she knew was standing not far away. She could see him out of the corner of her eye, standing in the farthest corner by the door.

"There's a camp," Daryl started.

"I know. I heard," Layna murmured. She focused her eyes on his, trying her keep her mind off the heat she could feel growing on her face because of Merle's presence. Embarrassment, that's what it felt like. It was worse now, especially after Merle's little trading charade the day before. She knew that it only showed how stupid and helpless she was.

Layna didn't allow her eyes to wander to the other side of the room until the door opened. She took a fast, nervous glance at Merle before giving Matt her complete attention. He held a wad of camouflage and a pair of boots in his arms. His hands were so full that Merle stepped in to close the door back behind him.

"Look at these," Matt tossed the wad of military camouflage on the couch and hurriedly shoved his hands into his pockets. He pulled out the ID tags he'd gone after and held them out to show Merle first because he stood the closest to him.

"I could pass for Danny Morgan here don't ya think?" Matt asked.

Merle snorted and handed the ID tag back. "Hell naw."

A soft cough made everyone look to the doorway. Gracie came in slowly, rubbing her eyes as she did.

Gracie yawned and started in Layna and Daryl's direction. Layna gave her a slight smile.

"Did you sleep good?" she asked softly.

Gracie nodded in the middle of another yawn. She crawled onto the edge of the couch nearby them and pulled her legs up close to her chest.

Matt moved closer to them, the ID tags in his hands.

Layna let go of Daryl and craned her neck to see as he handed the remaining three to Daryl.

"Do I look like any of em?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know," Matt answered him, but his voice sounded doubtful.

"I know I don't," Merle muttered.

Matt sent a glance his way. His eyes lingered on Merle for a moment. The look on Matt's face was odd, definitely different than usual. Layna swallowed hard. Matt seemed to be seeing Merle in a whole new light now that she'd been completely honest.

Layna returned her eyes to the ID tags in Daryl's hands. Grace left the couch and stood on her tiptoes attempting to get her own look.

One of the tags slipped through Daryl's fingers and hit the floor at their feet. Gracie jumped down to retrieve it and Layna waited for her to hand it back.

Gracie stared down at the ID tag in her hands intently. She tilted her head ever so slightly and then looked back up to Layna.

"This looks like you momma," Gracie held the ID tag up and Layna took it from her.

Layna studied the young woman's picture in her hand.

"I could pass for Eliza Hemsworth," Layna said softly. She looked up, realizing that she'd caught everyone's attention.

Matt moved quickly and snatched it from her hands. Daryl craned his neck to get his own look.

"It does look like you. Just a bit. The brown hair does it," Matt murmured.

"What are you saying?" Daryl demanded.

"I could go too," Layna offered. It was a sudden thought. It could serve several purposes. It would be a chance to get away from Merle for a short time. Matt didn't need to go by himself anyway. It would also show that she wasn't so helpless. She wasn't just something somebody used or traded off for supplies.

"Hell No!" Daryl exploded.

He snatched the ID tag from Matt's hand and squinted down at it.

"Ain't no way you're goin too."

"What if he needs help?" Layna pressed.

"Let me see that?" Merle muttered from the other side of the room.

Layna brought her eyes to him for a brief second. He hadn't entered the room any farther the whole time he'd been standing there. He knew that he wasn't wanted.

Daryl tossed the ID tag to Merle. He didn't catch it but he scooped it off the floor quickly.

"Don't look enough like her," Merle muttered.

"Well to make up for it, we could dirty up our faces a bit," Matt said quickly. "It would be more believable if I had another person with me."

"Ya'll killed these people when you took the vehicle?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah," Merle muttered.

Layna looked down at Gracie. She didn't want to leave her, but if she was able to help Matt get useful information then she'd be helping Gracie in the long shot. They'd get to safety faster.

"You're not goin Layna," Daryl snapped once again. "I'll go."

"Daryl those pictures don't look like you at all," Layna murmured. She placed one of her hands on his arm, but he jerked away.

Daryl turned away from her angrily and headed toward the kitchen.

Layna followed him. She could tell he was ready to explode. He wouldn't be letting her go easily.

"Daryl," Layna said sternly. "I'll be okay."

"Why the hell would you do this? You can't leave Gracie," he exploded.

"Believe me I don't want to leave her," Layna let her eyes drop to Daryl's chest as she talked.

"But I need to get away for a little while. I can't just sit around with Merle," she lowered her voice. "I know you'll take care of Gracie and we'll back soon."

"No," he said simply. His mouth tightened into a tight pout.

"Daryl listen to me. If you love me, you'll let me go. I need to do something besides sit here and wallow in my self pity. I'm dying here," she searched his worried eyes.

Daryl clenched his teeth. She could see his jaws tighten.

"I'm dying Daryl. I'm serious. I need to take a breather."

"A breather? Risking your life out there ain't a breather!" He yelled.

"Daryl," she said his name softly. "Calm down."

Daryl's face softened. "If something happens to you out there-" his voice shook a little, just the slightest bit and Layna cringed.

Layna placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned up to plant a kiss on his lips. His hand connected with the back of her neck and pulled her back in when she attempted to pull away. He caressed the back of her neck as their mouths danced with each other.

She hadn't meant for the peck to turn into a full fledge make out with Merle just in the next room. It made her uncomfortable, but Daryl pulled her closer. She lifted her hands to grasp his face. Layna focused on just Daryl, pushing Merle completely out of her mind. Daryl finally pulled away slowly, keeping his face and mouth close to hers.

"I love you," she murmured. "I promise I'll be fine."

She finally tore her gaze away from Daryl's and looked back to the living room.

"Here Layna," Matt held out a pair of camouflage pants and a jacket.

Layna headed back in and took them from him. She could feel Merle's eyes on her as she crossed the room.

"I'm gonna go put these on," she murmured nervously before she quickly disappeared back into the bedroom she, Daryl, and Gracie had slept in.

Layna undressed and slipped the camouflage on quickly and frantically. Her heart raced in her chest. She could barely believe she was doing this, but she wanted too. She was going to show Merle, and herself that she wasn't helpless. She felt like she had something to prove, and this would do it. The only problem she had with it was leaving Gracie. Daryl could and would take care of her. There was no question about it, she knew that.

But she hoped that everything would go smoothly. If something happened to her….Layna stopped the thought immediately. Nothing was going to happened. She'd be with Matt.

Layna studied herself in the mirror before she reentered he living room where Daryl and Matt were still arguing. Merle for once, was standing in the corner, completely silent.

Layna slipped on the boots Matt had brought in and stood back up. She ran a quick hand through her long wavy hair, holding her camouflage hat in her other hand.

"Got anything to pull that up with?" Matt asked.

"I'll look and see if I can find a rubber band in the kitchen," Layna turned and clunked her way into the kitchen. The boots were a size or two too large, but they would have to do.

"You bring her back," Daryl ordered.

Layna looked up nervously from the drawer she'd just opened.

"I will. We'll be okay. We're gonna ease in. Blend in for a bit and then we're gonna leave as soon as we get some more information on what's going on here," Matt assured him.

"What if any of those people knew your alter egos?" Merle asked.

"They probably didn't. These people are being brought in from all over the place. If there's any trouble we'll get the hell out," Matt said.

Layna pulled a rubber band out of the drawer and tied her hair into a quick ponytail. She pulled the hat over her head and walked back into the living room.

Gracie was sitting on the couch, just watching. Layna was surprised that she wasn't being more talkative and trying to understand what was gong on.

"Gracie," Layna eased on to her knees so that she would be eye level with her daughter. "I'm gonna be back real soon. Daddy is gonna stay here with you. You gotta be a good girl and keep Daddy company."

Gracie nodded slowly.

"You look like a soldier," she said softly.

"I know," Layna said with a smile.

She leaned in and gave Gracie a quick peck on her cheek before she climbed back to her feet.

Matt, Merle, and Daryl were all staring at her when she turned back around.

She readjusted the hat on her head and dropped her eyes to the floor, avoiding Merle's gaze the best she could.

"I'm ready Matt," Layna murmured.

Matt gave her a nod. He picked the ID tags off of the coffee table and hooked his own on his jacket.

Layna walked forward and allowed him to clip hers on too. She turned back to face Daryl and Gracie. They were both watching her. Daryl's expression looked pained.

"Bye," she murmured softly. She turned and followed Matt who was carrying an armload of supplies out the door.

Layna turned halfway to the vehicle, realizing that Daryl had followed them out. Gracie wasn't with him. Layna's heart rate quickened.

She bounded back to the porch.

"Daryl. She's in there with him," she murmured. "Go back inside."

"Be careful," he said desperately. "You gotta come back."

"I am," Layna said. She forced a smile. "It looks like a love story."

"What?" Daryl muttered, completely caught off guard.

"It's backwards though," she murmured. "I should be the girl standing on the porch waiting for the kiss from my soldier as he departs."

Daryl smiled slightly and reached up to tip the camouflage hat on her head.

"You're my little soldier then," he muttered.

Layna smiled. Daryl was still evolving right before her eyes. Everyday he seemed to soften, just a little. Gracie was doing it to him.

Layna climbed the steps and pecked him on the lips. He pulled her in once again, elongating their kiss. She pulled away faster than the last time.

"Daryl. I mean it. She's in there with him," she said nervously.

"I'm goin," Daryl muttered.

"Take care of her," Layna murmured. "Don't let him near her."

Daryl nodded. "She'll be okay."

"Okay Matt," Layna turned from Daryl. She took a deep breath and started back down the steps. When she got to the ground, she looked back in time to see Daryl disappearing inside.

Matt slammed the back door of the vehicle that he'd just put supplies into.

"Hold on," He eyed the ground as he took a few steps from the vehicle. He stopped on some soft dirt from an overgrown flower bed.

He bent down and picked up a dark dirt clump. It crumbled beneath the weight of his fingers and he rubbed some of it on his face.

"Maybe this will compensate for our differences with Eliza and Danny he muttered.

"C'mere," He said as soon as his face was splotched with the brown and black dirt.

Layna walked forward and allowed him to cup her face in his own hands. He massaged some of the cool dirt onto her face. Layna stared back at him as he continued. She remembered the story that he'd told her the night before. She was embarrassed that she'd shared so much about herself and Gracie now. He'd seen her break down.

"Remember you're Eliza. I'm Danny. No slip ups here," Matt said as he let go of her.

Layna nodded.

"Don't be surprised if they call us by our last names too. They do that a lot. Alright Hemsworth?"

Layna nodded once again.

"Just follow my lead. Gotta get you back to Gracie and Daryl," Matt said as he turned from her and started back toward the vehicle.

"Got it," Layna said quickly. "I promise."

She took a deep breath and followed him. She was doing this for herself, Gracie, and Daryl.

_Please Review!_


	12. Chapter 12

_I hope that this isn't too heartbreaking, **Leyshla Gisel** Lol._

Daryl stared out the window long after Matt and Layna pulled out of the yard. It wasn't right, letting Layna go out like that. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. If something happened to her he'd never forgive himself.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Merle asked. He sounded uncaring that Layna and Matt were even gone. Aggravation of his lack of involvement seemed to infiltrate Merle's mind.

"I can't believe I just let her go," Daryl muttered under his breath. He didn't respond to Merle. He wished it would have been his own brother gone instead of Layna. Merle deserved to put his life on the line, not Layna.

"If they come back how long you think it'll take?" Merle muttered.

"If?" Daryl demanded. He didn't turn from the window, but he clenched his jaws angrily.

"Yeah. I mean we're sittin here wastin precious time. We could be on the damn road. Not sittin around doin nothin," Merle muttered.

"She's gonna come back soon Daddy. She wouldn't leave us." Gracie's hand clenched his pants leg gently.

"You're right," Daryl forced the words from his mouth.

He forced his eyes away from the window and down at Gracie by his side.

"Will you play with me?" Gracie asked innocently..

"Play what?" Daryl asked tiredly. He stared down at Gracie's face. She was still so childlike, so happy, and carefree. She was a child after all, but he'd assumed growing up practically locked inside the city like she had would have dampened some of the normal innocent and childlike characteristics.

"Hide and seek?" Gracie looked back at him hopefully.

Daryl shook his head quickly.

"We need something safer," He murmured. "We don't need to be separated. It's too dangerous."

"I saw some crayons," Merle suggested.

Daryl's eyes flitted back to the entryway of the kitchen where Merle was now standing.

"They were in one of them drawers. She like to draw? It'll keep her busy," he rasped.

"I wanna draw," Gracie said quickly. Her green eyes sparkled with interest.

* * *

Layna's stomach fluttered in nervous anticipation. She pulled down the sun visor and peered in the small mirror. As she studied her own dirt stained face, she occasionally peered down at the ID tag clipped on to her camouflage top.

Matt eyed her from the driver's seat and Layna eventually closed the mirror back and let the visor go back into place.

"You alright?" Matt asked. His eyes caught hers briefly before returning them back to the road.

"Yeah," Layna answered him automatically. "Just a little nervous."

"We'll be alright. You look your ID tag. You look more like Eliza than I do like Danny."

Layna's eyes drifted back out the windshield, searching for any sign of the encampment they were supposed to find.

"I shouldn't have said anything last night," Layna murmured softly. She couldn't bring herself to look back at him so she stared straight ahead. "It's not your problem."

"But I asked," he said softly. "The only thing I regret is that you had to go through what you did. I'm…I'm glad you told me."

Layna licked her lips and let her teeth scrape against them nervously.

"I never would have known that Daryl wasn't…" Matt trailed off and Layna turned back to look at him.

"Gracie's real dad?" she finished softly.

"He is her real dad. Merle's nothing," Matt corrected her quickly.

Layna sighed and looked down at her hands in her lap. She'd been told that so many times. Lori, Rick, Hershel, and nearly everyone else had tried to comfort her in that way.

"Daryl's a good man," Layna murmured. "I do have to wonder sometimes. I mean I know he loves her, but I have to wonder if he stays with me out of guilt." Layna felt a strange tightness in her chest. She couldn't believe she'd said it. She felt guilty when she thought about it. It was something she'd swore she'd never acknowledge out loud. Now that it had escaped the dark tresses of her mind, she stared back at Matt nervously. The thought of doubting Daryl almost made her feel sick. The butterflies already fluttering in her stomach intensified.

"I can tell that's not it," Matt said quickly. "He loves you. He's jumped on me plenty of times already, worried that I had my eyes on you."

"He's always been jealous," Layna said with a smile.

Matt smiled back before looking back at the road.

Silence fell in between them, leaving Layna to her own nervous thoughts. As they rode on, she only got more nervous. She finally blurted out the few questions that had been bothering her nearly the whole way. She didn't want to leave them unanswered, not if they might get her and him both in trouble.

"So what if they ask us questions? I don't know anything about any of this," Layna began.

"Just follow my lead. I'll do the talking," Matt assured her.

"But…How long are we staying? How will we get back away to go back and get Gracie and Daryl? What if they follow us?"

"We're gonna figure it out, Layna," Matt said softly. "If it's how I think it'll be, It'll be so chaotic that they won't care who the hell we are. Well as long as we have an ID tag. If we have to, then we'll pretend we're doing something for them and sneak back. We'll jump right on the road or whatever we have to do to get everybody back to safety."

Layna leaned back in her seat, letting Matt's assurances sink in.

"What are they doing? Are they getting rid of the dead or the living?" Layna asked as she turned back to face him nervously.

"That's what I want to find out," Matt murmured. "If they're after the living then we've got to find a way to get to safety without drawing attention to ourselves. Maybe we'll have to stay off the main roads and take the small ones."

"How much farther?" Layna asked.

"Not much farther if Merle was telling the truth," Matt answered her quickly.

* * *

"Let's color at the table," Gracie suggested.

Daryl stared back at her, loaded down with an empty notebook, a few pencils, and a 24 box of Crayola's that Merle had found in one of the kitchen drawers. Daryl looked back at the table. Merle had taken up a short residence there, choosing to position himself right there while Daryl helped Gracie find enough paper to keep her busy for a while. Daryl wanted to object. He wanted to tell her no, and that they would just sit in the living room, but he didn't. Gracie had already stopped at the table and set all of her materials down on top of it.

Daryl watched as she crawled into the wooden kitchen chair next to Merle. She paid him no attention as she opened the notebook to the first page and reached for the box of crayons.

Daryl slowly sank into the chair beside her. He sent a sharp glance Merle's way, silently warning his brother. Daryl was surprised when Merle didn't get up. Instead, his brother's eyes dropped to the paper that Gracie was beginning to draw on.

Daryl's promise to Layna crossed his mind. He'd promised to keep Merle away from her, but he didn't want to make an uproar. He didn't want to upset Gracie, and he didn't feel like arguing with Merle, not again. He was too tired and too worried about Layna. Daryl made a silent promise to himself. As long as Merle didn't associate with her, like he assumed he wouldn't, then he wouldn't start anything either.

Daryl craned his neck to see Gracie's paper. She was working on coloring in a red heart. Every now and then she would abandon her crayon to pull her unruly curls out of her face and let out an exasperated sigh.

"You wantin a haircut?" Daryl asked softly.

"Now?" She asked quickly.

"Oh. No," Daryl couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "Your momma would kill me. She likes your curls. Besides, I ain't ever cut a girl's hair before."

Daryl let his gaze drift across the table to where Merle was still sitting. He was watching them, watching the way that Daryl interacted with her. Daryl felt slightly embarrassed. The little heartfelt and random talks came natural when he talked to Gracie. Merle had never seen that side of him. Daryl had always kept his somewhat soft side tucked away for as long as he could remember. It wasn't something you wanted to put out in front of your older brother, especially Merle.

Gracie let out a soft sight as she laid down her red crayon. The heart was filled in almost perfectly. The messily drawn pictures stuck with magnets to their refrigerator back in the city crossed through Daryl's mind. This drawing would have definitely earned a place amongst the rest. Layna kept anything that Gracie gave them.

Gracie opened the crayon box and pulled out a blue. She returned her attention to the paper and squeezed the crayon in her fingers tightly. Daryl watched the was she squeezed her lips together tightly and squinted her eyes as she concentrated on the paper. She started writing and Daryl watched as each letter slowly made its way onto the lined notebook paper.

_Momma_

Daryl studied the word as soon as she pulled her hand back. The letters were uneven, crooked, and the _a_ was backwards, but it was legible. He stared at it until she flipped the page in the notebook.

Using the same crayon, Gracie started on the next piece of paper. She drew out another heart, quicker this time and colored it in too. When she seemed satisfied, she slowly tore the paper out. Using her small, steady fingers, she carefully made sure that the paper didn't rip. Gracie laid it aside and then tore out the first picture she'd drawn.

She looked back at Daryl as she picked up the two papers, one in each hand.

"Those are pretty," he murmured. "Dang. Just get better and better don't ya?" He avoided Merle's gaze as he praised her and pretended as if the drawings were of the utmost value.

"This one is for momma," Gracie waved the paper that she'd drawn the red heart on at him.

"I bet she'll like that," Daryl said softly.

"I'm gonna give it to her when she gets back," Gracie murmured.

"This one is for you," Daryl watched numbly as Gracie passed the paper with the blue heart across the table to where Merle's elbow was propped.

Merle stared down at the paper for what seemed like at eternity. Daryl looked back and forth from him to Gracie. He could feel a strange feeling welling up inside of him. He wanted to say something but couldn't think of a thing to say. He opened his mouth but let it fall back closed. Meanwhile, Gracie just watched Merle, anxiously waiting for him to acknowledge or accept her drawing.

When Merle finally looked up, he looked at Gracie almost nervously.

"You keep it. I ain't got nowhere to put it," he blurted out.

Gracie slid out of her chair and pushed the paper closer to him. She stared at him for a minute before she spoke. "Put it in you pocket. I drew it for you."

She sounded so innocent. Daryl eyed Merle anxiously, waiting to see what he would say next. Gracie picked the paper back up and messily folded it into a square. She held it back out to him and Merle swallowed hard. He stared back at Gracie. His eyes were wide and the surprised and uneasy expression he held kept Daryl from stepping in.

Merle snatched the paper from her and shoved it in his pants pocket.

Gracie finally seemed satisfied. She slid the drawing for Layna off of the table and headed toward the refrigerator across the kitchen. Daryl realized what she was doing almost immediately.

"We're not gonna be here much longer," He warned as she reached out for one of the magnets.

"I know," she said softly, but she reached up and tacked the picture on anyway. "Momma would put it on the refrigerator though."

Daryl caught Merle's eye. Merle's painful expression was twisted and his lips were pressed together tightly. He looked helpless. For the first time, Merle looked helpless. Daryl found a strange and sick satisfaction in it.

Gracie slipped back into her chair and slid the notebook back within her reach.

"Wanna play tic tac toe with me?" Gracie asked eagerly.

Merle clenched his jaws when he realized that she was once again talking to him.

"I ain't no good," Merle said quickly.

Daryl bit his tongue. Instead of stopping Gracie from interacting with him, he let her. Merle was caught of guard completely. Merle had been watching Gracie from across the table. It was clear that he had no intent in interacting with her before hand. Now he had no choice. For some reason, Gracie had decided that she wanted to associate with him.

"My momma showed me how to win every single time if I go first," Gracie said excitedly. She leaned her body closer to Merle in her chair and passed the paper toward him.

"I can show you but it's a secret. You can't tell her I told you," she suggested."You can't tell on me either, Daddy," Gracie added with a smile. She pointed the pencil back at Daryl accusingly.

Daryl forced a smile. "I ain't gonna tell on ya."

Merle stared back down at the paper that held the crudely draw tic tac toe board. He swallowed hard. Daryl chewed at the inside of his cheek as he waited to see how Merle would react this time. He wanted Merle to writhe. He wanted him to squirm. He wanted him to feel bad as Gracie innocently interacted with him.

And he did. Daryl watched as Merle slowly reached over her arm to the box of crayons.

"Here," Gracie picked up the box and pulled out a blue crayon. She held it out and Merle stared back at it for a moment. He took it from her slowly and diverted his gaze from hers. He cleared his throat nervously.

The silence around them was awkward, but Merle was even more awkward.

He looked like he'd rather be somewhere else, anywhere else.

_That's why, _Daryl kept reminding himself. That was why he was letting her talk to him and even sit next to him. It was eating Daryl alive, but not as much as it was doing to Merle.

He was breaking his promise to Layna and for that he felt bad. She wouldn't have understood how Gracie being nice to Merle was eating away at him.

"Why don't you play with.._Your daddy_," Merle paused and then the last words came out with a strange emphasis. His voice sounded strained as he tried to deflect Gracie's attention away from him and back to Daryl.

Of course Gracie didn't catch it the strange emphasis on the word _daddy_, but Daryl did.

"But Daddy knows the secret," Gracie said softly. "I wanna show you."

She gently reached back over and drew an X on the paper.

"Your turn," she said softly. She tilted her head and looked back at Merle.

Merle took his turn with an excruciating slowness. He made the simple task of drawing an O look as painful as getting a tooth pulled. After his move, he gave Daryl another pained look.

"I wish I had a brother," Gracie said suddenly. "I wouldn't fight with him," Gracie looked to Daryl as she finished.

"You say that now," Daryl muttered. "I promised ya'd feel different if you actually had one."

Gracie shook her head as she studied the tic tac toe board in front of her. "I promise I wouldn't."

She made her next move quickly and happily.

"I…I don't wanna play," Merle finally blurted out. He laid the crayon down and pushed the notebook closer to her.

Gracie stared at him, but she didn't say anything. She slowly slid the notebook back to herself and flipped the page.

"Daddy," she said softly.

"What?' Daryl watched her eyes flit around nervously before they met his.

"Momma was crying last night. I heard her."

There was a sudden sadness in her green eyes.

"She woke me up. She was hugging me real tight. I got scared because she was scared," Gracie continued.

Daryl chewed nervously at his thumbnail. He took a few sneaky glances Merle's way. Merle was watching Gracie once again. His expression was frozen and his eyes were wide.

"Why was she cryin Daddy?"

Daryl focused his eyes on the crayons sitting before them on the table as his mind struggled to come up with something, anything to say.

"Because she loves you," Daryl finally murmured. "That's why she just went to get us help too."

"But she was so sad," Gracie continued.

"She's not sad anymore," Daryl said softly.

Daryl flinched as Merle leapt from his seat. The chair scraped loudly against the hard floor, bringing both his and Gracie's attention to him. Merle took a few steps back. He rubbed at his scruffy beard nervously and clenched his jaws tightly.

"I wanted to go get you but she wouldn't let me. I just wanted her to quit crying," Gracie continued softly as if Merle hadn't even interrupted her.

"She wouldn't let me though."

Merle looked like he was ready to explode. He was breathing heavier and teetering his weight on one leg and then the other.

Daryl once again felt strangely satisfied. This was his chance. He wanted Merle to feel worse. It was the first time he'd seen an emotion other than anger on his brother's face in a long time. Merle was scared and conflicted, and it was rare.

"How long did she cry?" Daryl asked softly. He began to secretly egg Gracie on. He made his question seem innocent, and to Gracie it was, but it affected Merle totally differently.

"A long time. Until I fell asleep," Gracie murmured.

"Did she say why she was crying?" Daryl pried more.

"No. I kept askin but she wouldn't tell me. Does she just want to go home?"

Daryl shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe that's why," he murmured. "Or maybe it was somethin else," he glanced at Merle sharply.

"I never see momma cry," Gracie murmured.

"For Christ sakes," Merle yelled suddenly and angrily. Daryl let his and Gracie's conversation end where it was. He wasn't shocked when Merle stomped out of the room, muttering something under his breath that Daryl couldn't quite make out.

Gracie looked up, looking slightly alarmed for a short second.

"It's okay. Stay right here, Gracie," Daryl ordered. He leapt out of his own chair and followed Merle back through the living room and out the door.

He made sure to shut the door behind him before turning his attention to his brother.

"What the hell's wrong Merle?" Daryl asked coldly. "Can't handle it anymore?"

Merle whirled back to face him. His face was twisted into a harsh scowl. The pained expression was now overtaken by complete anger. The vulnerability he'd shown when Gracie interacted with him was gone.

"I know she didn't fuckin deserve it okay? But you were doin that on purpose!" Merle pointed his finger angrily.

Daryl shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well _you_ deserve it," Daryl muttered.

"Can't do it no more," Merle said quickly. He turned away from Daryl and looked out into the yard.

Daryl squinted back at his brother, watching him carefully. "Can't do what?" he muttered."I can't stay here. I can't listen to that little girl talk about her momma and just-" Merle shook his head slowly as he trailed off. "She just talks about her and talks about her. Every other thing that comes outta her mouth is about her momma."

Daryl crossed his arms across his chest as he watched Merle's anger fade from his face once again.

"Then she wants to talk to me. She wants to draw and play," Merle's hand moved to his pocket as he ranted. "She's so innocent. She has no fuckin idea!"

Merle pulled the folded up piece of paper out of his pocket and pointed it at Daryl.

"Why the hell would she do this? Draw me a heart? Like I didn't already feel like shit."

Daryl almost flinched at Merle's words. He looked back out into the yard, unable to keep from clenching his teeth together. His jaws ached as he thought about how innocent and unknowing Gracie was.

"Ya know, I don't know why I did it," Merle scoffed. "I wasn't thinking right. The world had went to shit. The dead rose up to eat the livin. Adrenaline was goin haywire. I wasn't exactly sober. When I found her out there in them woods and I brought her back…I mean God, she was a pretty little thing. She still is. She was so scared though. She was out there all alone. I remember thinking…Who's there to stop me? There ain't no cops, well at least I didn't think there'd be any. Guess I was wrong about that too."

Daryl listened. It wasn't anything he wanted to hear again. He didn't need to relive that day again, but he couldn't make himself say anything. Daryl let his eyes slowly inch their way back to Merle where he stood, remembering that day that had changed all their lives.

"I didn't think…. I sure as hell didn't see any of this shit comin. Hell, I think I thought we were all goners anyway. I Didn't expect her _or_ us to live much more. I just kept thinking hell, I might be dead tomorrow. She'd probably be dead tomorrow. I really thought we'd probably all be dead soon anyway."

"I don't wanna hear it," Daryl snapped suddenly, desperately. He tried to end the sudden flashback that his mind had gone into.

"But I need to say it!" Merle spat angrily.

Daryl felt as overwhelmed as Merle seemed. It was different seeing the flecks of emotion that crossed Merle's face. It was so different that it felt unreal.

"You were right."

Daryl face slackened at Merle's words. They were words that never ever came out of Merle's mouth.

"You tried to stop me. You tried to do the right thing. Guess that's how it's always been huh? You said you been cleanin up my messes. You were right."

"What the hell?" Daryl muttered softly.

"This one just couldn't be cleaned up, but you tried," Merle continued. "I'm leaving. As soon as they get back I'm gone."

Daryl froze at Merle's words.

"I can't look at her and it's been like over five fuckin years. I can't look at either of em. Ya know what hurts?" Merle asked as he looked back at him.

Daryl stared back at his brother but didn't open his mouth. He couldn't piece together a single sentence. He couldn't think. All he could do was wait for Merle to continue.

"It hurts Listenin to her call you Daddy. I mean she doesn't know," Merle looked down as he unfolded the piece of paper. It took him longer. He had to prop it against his body as he used his only hand to unfold it.

"It's not like I _want_ her to know though," Merle looked down at the paper in his hands.

"Ya know it's weird lookin at my kid and knowin she'll never know she's my kid. It's weird lookin at her and how…perfect she is. She ain't one of them snotty nose brats that whine all the time."

"How in the hell did that even happen? How'd my kid even end up so…" he trailed off.

Daryl swallowed hard as his brother struggled for words. His eyes stung with tears that he knew he wouldn't let fall. He never cried, always held it in. He hadn't cried when all this had happened. He hadn't cried after all he and Layna had been through, why was it even worse now? Daryl bit the inside of his cheek hard and waited for Merle to finish.

"How'd she end up lookin like a poster child for kids everywhere? Those curls, and that pretty little smile?"

"Layna," Daryl said simply. "Because of her."

Merle folded the paper back in his hand and shoved it back in his pocket. He nodded as he brought his eyes back up to meet Daryl's.

Merle rubbed his face tiredly and let out a deep breath. Daryl lowered his own eyes to the ground.

"I'm goin to hell," Merle muttered under his breath.

_Hope that was enough Gracie/Merle/Daryl interaction. Please review._


	13. Chapter 13

_**BeingLolastar-**__ Aww. I always kind of felt the same way about Merle. If felt like I should hate him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Especially when he kidnapped Maggie and Glen. I was like Ahhh why'd you have to do that? But then I was like it's okay. Maybe things will get better. I still forgive you. Haha._

_**So I made an account on Fiction Press. Do any of you have one on there? I posted a short story "Not a Mouse" on there. If anybody wants to check it out and leave me a review I'd be extremely happy. It was my first attempt at writing something other than fan fiction though. Hopefully it is just a start. My account is just SavvySammy on there._

"This is it," Matt murmured.

Layna had already seen it. It was hard not to notice that the little country town sitting before them had been taken over by the military. Camouflaged vehicles were parked along the outskirts, and gates were set up surrounding it. It was scary, realizing just how close that it was to the little house they were staying in. The house that they thought was safe.

Camouflage clad people were scurrying about within the wire fences, tending to whatever their duties were and Layna watched them curiously. The butterflies fluttering in her stomach turned into giant bumbling moths as Matt pulled their own camouflaged vehicle up to one of the gates.

"Oh God. They already see us," Layna said quickly.

"It's okay," Matt assured her. "They're gonna see us.

Matt turned the vehicle off and turned to face her.

"Have your gun?" he asked simply.

Layna shook her head quickly and looked around nervously for it, almost forgetting that Matt had told her he was putting it on the floorboard in front of her seat. She quickly retained her composure and leaned down to pick it up.

"Just put it at your waist. While we're walking up make sure you don't reach for it okay? Don't even look like you know it's there."

Layna nodded quickly.

"Calm down," he said with a slight smile. "We're gonna be alright. Just follow my lead."

Layna forced a quick smile as she tucked her pistol in the waist of her camouflage pants.

"Ready?" Matt asked as soon as he brought his eyes back up to meet hers.

Layna nodded and Matt opened his door.

Layna followed him, feeling as if heavy lead filled her shoes with every step behind him she took. She had absolutely no idea what she was getting in to. By now, she had complete doubt in herself. How was she supposed to do this when she knew absolutely nothing about the military?

Layna tried her best to push her doubts and worries to the back of her mind. She hung a little behind as Matt struck up a conversation with the officer standing guard at the gate. The officer opened the gate fairly quickly and allowed them to enter.

Layna watched Matt unhook his ID tag and hand it to the officer. The officer was older. He had whitish gray hair, peeking from underneath his hat. The same color claimed his mustache and slightly messy beard.

"Okay Morgan," the man said as he quickly handed the tag back. The man's eyes fell on her, not even checking Matt's appearance after seeing the ID tag.

Layna attempted to pull her own ID tag off her own shirt. She held her breath, hoping that the man wouldn't notice the slight tremble in her fingers as she struggled with the simple task.

"Hold up, you're good," He motioned with his hands to stop and Layna did. She let her hands fall back to her side and the man leaned in to look at the ID still attached to her.

"Hemsworth. You two look like you've been through it," the man said as he took a step back.

"Yes sir. We've just recently lost a few people," Matt bluffed believably.

"By the dead or the living?" the officer asked.

"The dead," Matt answered immediately.

"Shame," the man murmured.

"Have you all seen any living? We haven't," Matt added.

"Yes. We have. They're desperate. Dangerous," the officer said quickly. "Now if you two would move along. They have food and water available. They're also handing out duties and planning so I'm sure you two will be sent back out before long."

"Yes Sir," Matt said. He saluted the man and the man nodded back at him.

Layna froze, unsure if she was supposed to salute or if it wasn't necessary. In the end, she settle for a forced smile. She smiled at the older man before darting after Matt with the embarrassment flushing her cheeks.

Layna relaxed as soon as they entered the small town. Mostly men, but some women in uniform scurried in a frenzy similar to ants of a disturbed ant hill.

There didn't seem to be a particular structure, and for that she was thankful. She followed Matt as they eased through the crowds.

"See it's not that bad," Matt leaned in closer to her as he spoke.

Layna nodded.

She watched as a crowd of officers, followed by a few men in camouflage stepped into one of the small business shops. A few of them held maps in their hands.

"I gotta go over there," Matt said immediately.

Layna turned back to him, realizing he'd seen the same thing she had.

"Why don't you stay," he added.

"Stay where?" Layna asked nervously.

Matt looked around quickly. "Just go stand there. I'll be out in just a minute. I need to see one of those maps. See where we're going." He pointed to one of the less congregated areas. A small area by a brick building.

Layna nodded and Matt hurried passed her, brushing by a few talking men.

Layna quickly made her way over to the place Matt had suggested. She was anxious to get away from the bustle of people. Everyone was in such a hurry that they didn't mind bumping or shoving into someone to get through.

Layna on the other hand, squeezed through and made her way to the area without bringing attention to herself.

She leaned her back against one of the brick walls of the little building. There were no scurrying men or women around. The few people that were there were talking or eating a bite of food. She crossed her arms across her chest and propped one of her feet against the wall behind her. She tried her best to look natural and anything but timid and nervous. She hoped that Matt wouldn't be long. Although she wasn't ready to go back and face Merle once again, she was ready to be back to Gracie and Daryl.

"This is a fuckin mess ain't it," Layna flicked her eyes in the direction of the man that had spoken. He looked about like all of the other men. There wasn't much to distinguish him from any of the others who were hurrying by or stopping to eat the rations that had been provided to them. He stopped at her side. The only thing she noticed in particular about him was a pair of icy blue eyes. He locked his eyes on hers. He wasn't old, Layna assumed he was probably around Matt's age.

"Yeah," Layna said quickly. "Sure is."

"What the hell have you been doing?"

Layna furrowed her eyebrows at him, not exactly understanding his question.

"Exactly what you've been doin," she muttered unsurely.

The man reached out and touched her face without warning, making her pull back.

"I'm talking about the dirt," he said.

"Uh," Layna paused as she tried to think of a well enough lie.

"I was in the woods. I don't know," she stuttered. "Probably when I fell."

"Ya know. You're pretty even underneath that dirt," the man said. "We should try and get sent to the same area. I could watch your back. Or your front. What ever," he ended his suggestion with a smile.

Layna shook her head quickly. "Nah I'm good."

She diverted her gaze from his quickly, trying her best to seem uninterested in his advances.

"What are ya doin over here all alone anyway?" The man moved to prop his own back against the wall beside hers.

"I'm just taking a breather," Layna said coldly. She eased her weight off the wall and put more space between her and the stranger.

"Need somewhere to take a breather with?"

Layna stared back at the man, completely taken back by his bold words. She let her eyes drop down to his ID tag, pinned to his jacket.

_Ben Howard_

"Uh actually my boyfriend is here," Layna said nervously.

"Well damn. Ain't that my luck. Who is he?"

"Danny Morgan,"

"Well where is he now?" Ben smiled.

Layna opened her mouth to answer, but let it fall back closed.

"Is something goin on here?" the sound of Matt's voice revived Layna's wounded courage.

"Danny Morgan huh?" Ben said sarcastically. "Son of a bitch. What the hell are ya doin Davis?" He asked.

Layna's eyes widened. She stared back at the man and then back at Matt.

"Who the hell do you think you're foolin Matt?" Ben asked with a laugh.

"Shut up!" Matt hissed angrily. An instant of worry flashed before Matt's eyes, making Layna's heart flutter in her chest.

"I see the reason for the dirt now. Or did ya'll just have a little romp somewhere?" The man asked.

"Please just be quiet, Ben," Matt insisted. He moved closer to the man. "You don't understand what we-"

"Let me guess. You're not really Eliza Hemsworth," A sneer crossed Ben's face as he interrupted Matt to address her.

Layna dropped her eyes to the ground.

"Shut up, man," Matt said quickly. "I lost my ID tag and I needed to get back in here."

"Why?"

"It's safe," Matt muttered.

"Psh. I would've bolted if I were you man. I'm wishin that's what I woulda done," Ben muttered.

"You don't understand," Matt tried once again.

"You're about to be sent back out anyway? What was the fuckin point in comin back in here?"

"Information," Matt murmured.

"Information about what? Ya already know all ya need to know. It's all a waste of damn time. Our times a tickin away and we're being pushed out to die first."

"I don't know," Matt said. "Just don't give us away alright. I think I covered you ass enough over the years. Cover mine for once."

"I already offered to cover hers," Ben said with a laugh.

"Leave her alone, man," Matt muttered.

"I was just kidding, Damn," Ben shot back. "And don't freak out. I ain't gonna tell on ya. Why the hell would I? You probably ain't the first two to do something like this. Nobody probably cares anymore. Ya know I think they just want people to kill them things. They don't care who it is or who dies."

"I know," Matt said.

"I plan on stayin here as long as I can though. Wasting time so I don't have to go back out," Ben added.

"Go to Alabama," Matt suggested.

Layna watched Ben carefully, waiting for his response on the idea of heading to the possible safe haven.

"Yeah well the problem would be getting there," he muttered. "I'm gonna head there eventually. If I survive long enough."

"There runnin outta people here," Ben muttered. "Runnin out of military everywhere. They're runnin out of live bait is what it is. These things…the outbreaks should be done by now. I can't believe they're still happening. I thought you were a goner. How'd ya get outta Atlanta?"

"I ran into Eliza," Matt pointed to Layna. "Her and some more people. We made it out together."

"But your name isn't really Eliza is it?" Ben asked.

Layna stared back at the man for a moment. He was confident and full of himself. It was obvious with everything, even the way that he stood that he thought well of himself.

"That doesn't matter," she answered him coldly.

"Alright whatever," Ben muttered. "I owe you Matt. This'll make it even." He turned away from them and snatched a sandwich off of a tray that an officer was carrying passed him.

Layna watched the man disappear into the crowd.

"Think he'll really not tell?" Layna asked.

Matt nodded. "He won't."

"Alright so this is what I found out," Matt started. "Damn I wish I had a map."

Layna's eyes darted around, searching for a map that might have been laid down somewhere nearby.

"Right now we're at Union City," Matt brought her attention back to him. "That's the name of this little town. We're not far from Highway 85. We could follow it and go on past a lake. I think it was Westpoint Lake. But if that way wouldn't work then we could cut off on highway 185. If we do that then we can go through Columbus."

"They told you that?" Layna asked quickly.

"Oh no. I was lookin at one of their maps."

"What if they're on the highways?" Layna asked.

"They aren't yet. We need to get a move on before they do."

"Are you sure? And this is the only way to get to safety?"

Matt nodded. "I think so. I'm gonna try and find a map to snatch before we leave. We're gonna need it."

Layna took in a deep breath and looked around them as she let Matt's words sink in. She knew that they still had a journey ahead of them.

"It's time to take back what's ours. I'm not letting these walking corpses keep on the way they are. We can't let em," an officer said as he brushed passed them. He was talking loudly to the few that followed him.

"It's time to get this done and get it done right. No more screw ups. This is the last damn time," he continued.

The man was tall but slim. He looked older and more experienced than the men that were just wearing camouflage.

"Excuse me sir, what's the plan? I just returned here," Matt caught the man's attention.

The man sent him an aggravated scowl before he addressed him.

"We're going to keep watch on the interstate and major highways in case there are survivors. We're gonna try and nip this in the bud as quickly as possible. Meanwhile we'll have everyone scour the area and get rid of the infected. All bodies will be burnt to prevent further contamination."

"Do we take survivors?" Matt asked quickly. His question made the man turn back.

"No."

"Why not?" One of the other officers by his side asked quickly.

"The survivors we've encountered are dangerous. They're desperate, resorting to their own violence. We don't need to risk any of our officers. It would only be a burden to bring and transport then to Alabama with the rest of the refugees," The man answered coldly. "Get rid of them."

"What about kids sir?" Matt asked.

"I haven't seen any kids." The man's answer was short and quick, but his escape through the crowds and away from them was even quicker.

Layna's wide eyes met Matt's.

"What if they don't take us in?" Layna asked nervously. "What if the military in Alabama kill us or turn us away?"

"They won't," Matt said sternly. "They wouldn't turn away a little girl."

"You don't know that," Layna murmured.

"Look. We'll keep our uniforms on. They'll be more likely to take in survivors from us don't you think?"

"I don't know, but I hope so," Layna said softly.

Layna spent the next few minutes following Matt around the area, trying to find or talk a map away from someone. They eavesdropped on every possible conversation, learning what they could in the short time that they felt they had left to waste. Matt quietly filled her in on possible routes they could take or what he assumed would be the best ways.

As they made their way close to another gate, they were stopped, along with other close by soldiers.

"We've got a herd of infected coming this way," an officer yelled. "We need people to take it out real quick. A few guns should do the trick."

A few officers began corralling willing military personnel toward the gates. Not everyone was willing, and those that weren't were persuaded.

"It shouldn't take much to take these down," an officer promised.

Layna stood back with Matt, watching the people horde near the gates.

"C'mon. This is our chance to get out," Matt whispered.

"But Matt," Layna started.

"We'll kill a few and then disappear. I've got the keys in my pocket. We'll just slip away. C'mon."

Layna tried to hide the fear she felt. She didn't want to leave like this, but she knew that they needed to get back. After a few short minutes of thought, she fell in line with Matt and the others waiting to be released from the gates.

"We don't have many bullets," Matt said softly. "Don't waste them."

She nodded and slipped her pistol from her waist.

The officers opened the gates and they were sent out to meet their targets.

As a few people began shooting the approaching walkers, Layna and Matt made a beeline toward the direction they knew the vehicle was.

Layna turned back to see the men downing the few walkers. No one seemed to notice their escape, and she could feel herself relaxing a little.

"Whoa!" Matt's hand connected with her arm, making her whirl back around.

Walkers were coming from that direction as well, but there were more.

"There's too many of them!" Layna shrieked over the growing noise. "Why'd they send us out like this? Why don't they get rid of them some other way?"

Matt grabbed her arm and pulled her back in the direction of their vehicle. It was out of sight, hidden only from them by a small patch of woods now.

Gun shots exploded in the air as the men around them took out the quickly approaching walkers from the new direction.

The area turned into a bloody battleground. The herd of walkers was huge, much larger than she'd expected. It was obvious that the men who'd volunteered to take out the walkers were also in shock at the size of the herd. It seemed that they had in fact been sent out to die first.

A few men broke Matt's grasp on her arm as they neared the woods. The men were in a panic. They were intent on retreating. They turned back in the direction of the gates that they'd been let out of. When Layna turned back, she froze.

"Matt!" She called out.

He was no longer by her side. She frantically searched the backs of the men in camouflage, waiting for one of them to turn at her yells.

Where had he gone? Panic restricted her airway and her heart raced in her chest.

"Layna!"

Layna frantically scanned around. She'd heard her name. Where was he?

She kept running, keeping herself away from the walkers and out of the lines of fire as she searched for him. Had he gone into the woods already? Layna could see a few men taking out walkers along the edge and was just about to enter herself when a camouflage sleeved arm reached out and hooked hers. Layna let out a surprised cry as she was pulled out of the path of a few walkers. She allowed the person to pull her away from the woods and hordes of people and walkers. The grip on her arm finally loosened as the threat around them diminished.

Layna quickly faced her savior, expecting to see Matt, but instead she saw Ben.

"What are you doing? Where's Matt?" She raised her panic stricken voice.

"He's gone!" Ben yelled over the noise. "He went down."

"What?" Layna shrieked.

"C'mon!" Ben grabbed her arm once again. "Come with me. We gotta get outta here!"

"No!" Layna jerked herself from his grasp. She darted back in the direction that Ben had grabbed her from.

"You're gonna get yourself killed!" Ben yelled after her. "Eliza!"

His yells for her to stop, were quickly drowned out by the gun shots that surrounded her.

Maybe it hadn't been Matt. Maybe he hadn't gone down. Maybe he was frantically looking for her like she was looking for him. Layna's mind whirred, and her hands shook as she pulled her pistol up to take a shot at a walker that blocked her path. She missed its head, but succeeded in knocking it to the ground. She darted passed it and entered the bushes guarding the outskirts of the thin woods.

"Matt?" she choked out nervously.

A few men hurried passed her, making their way out of the woods. She heard the snarls of walkers, but she realized that they were busy devouring the bodies of a few men that hadn't made it out. She nervously eyed the bodies, praying that none of them would be Matt's.

Layna quickened her pace, darting passed the feeding walkers. Her pace became more frantic as desperation set in. Through the patches of brush and trees Layna could see their vehicle where they'd left it parked at the gates. She turned back as the voices of men entered the woods behind her. Their gunshots echoed as they got rid of the walkers who'd stopped to feed on their men.

"Matt?" Layna called out once again. The gunshots and yells behind her were diminishing. She could only hope that the fight had been won at the bloody battleground she'd left behind her.

"Please tell me you made it to the vehicle," Layna choked out desperately. She leapt through a wad of thick brush, nearly trampling over the body of a dead walker in the process. She gasped as she looked ahead of her. A camouflaged covered body was sprawled out close by another few dead walkers.

A numbness took over Layna's body as she stared at the man's face.

A sob escaped her throat immediately as she stumbled closer to his broken body.

"No!" Layna choked out.

As terrible as the sight was, she couldn't peel her eyes away from it. Matt was bleeding from the areas of broken flesh and torn camouflage. The walkers had obviously torn into him quickly, much faster than she remembered walkers doing before. He'd only been gone from her sight for a few minutes at most, but now his body was clawed at and torn. His stomach was nearly open, leaving organ protruding. Too make matters worse, he was so close to the safety of their vehicle. It was within sight.

"Layna,"

Layna clamped her hand tightly over her mouth in attempt to stifle the scream she could feel erupting from her aching throat. Matt was still alive.

"Layna. I'm not turning into one of those things. You can't let me," Matt's voice came out weak, slow, and strangled.

She was speechless. The sight had already been too much to bear, but knowing he was still alive had made it somewhat worse.

"Oh my God, Oh my God," she murmured. Her entire body trembled and she let her pistol fall from her hands.

"Shoot me."

A sob erupted from Layna's throat. She teetered on her legs, unsure if they would even hold her.

"But Matt," Layna stuttered. "We need you. How are we gonna get back?"

"You know what to do. Just get to Alabama," Matt's words came out slow and even quieter.

"I'm not leaving you here," Layna blurted out.

"I can't do it myself," Matt grimaced as he attempted to move his arm. "Take my gun."

"Please. I can't do it," Layna begged.

"You have to. I'm not turning into one of them."

"I can't. No," She cried out.

"Do it for me or leave me the hell alone," Matt raised his shaky voice, only to grit his teeth together and let out a moan of pain after.

Layna tried to steady her breathing and her voice.

"I'm not gonna kill you Matt," Layna murmured. "I can't."

Matt's complexion was already paling before her eyes.

"It's okay, Layna. You have Daryl and you know what you've gotta do. You've gotta get back to the vehicle and get back to them. The keys are in my pocket."

"How could this happen?" Layna stuttered. Her mind wasn't working right.

She was in shock, complete and utter shock.

A tremor overtook Matt's body and Layna clamped her hand over her mouth once again.

"Please do it," Matt's voice was weak.

Layna collapsed on her knees. Tears were now running freely down her cheeks and pelting her camouflaged pants. She slowly pulled her gun up and let it rest in her lap.

"Get Gracie back to safety," Matt murmured. "I said I would, but I guess I failed again."

"You didn't fail, Matt," Layna tried to steady her voice. "You helped her. You helped me."

"I guess it's time to see Jen," Matt mumbled. "Maybe I'll see Leah. I hope she's still not mad at me."

"Matt. She won't be mad at you anymore," Layna said softly. She forced her gaze away from his. She could practically see the life leaving his torn body. His eyes were dulling and his breathing slowing.

"I don't look that bad do I?" He tried to make his voice sound happier, but ended up squinting his eyes shut in pain.

Layna scooted her body closer to his head. She reached out with shaky fingers and gently touched his sweat dampened face.

"Don't wait," he rasped.

Layna bit into her bottom lip until she tasted blood. Why was she alone at a time like this? She found herself wishing that she and Matt hadn't gone alone. She found herself wishing that she had someone else by her side, anyone. Merle would even do. Merle would have shot Matt without a second thought. The person she wanted most of all though, was Daryl. Daryl always knew what to do. He was so much stronger than her.

Matt's breathing became weaker but raspier. Every breath seemed worse, and Layna began looking around herself nervously. Amidst all of this, she'd nearly forgotten the danger still in the surrounding woods.

A waterfall of tears streamed down Layna's cheeks once again, but she picked her gun up from her lap.

"I'm so sorry Matt," Layna whimpered. She raised her pistol to Matt's temple. His eyes were still closed and Layna prayed he wouldn't open them again. She squinted her eyes shut, held her breath, and pulled the trigger.

_Truly sorry about this guys. Please Review, I think Lol. Not so sure if I'm gonna wanna read these reviews or not. I'm kidding of course. Please let me know what you think. Oh and if you'd like to check out the other story on the other website, feel free to leave a review! It has nothing to do with The Walking Dead but it is like a fantasy almost. It's short. I'm just trying to broaden my writing. I've realized that readers on fan fiction are totally loyal and amazing because there's always people willing to leave reviews here. Doesn't look as friendly over on the other site. I'm thankful for all of you who take the time to review. Thanks again guys._


	14. Chapter 14

_Sorry for the wait! School is stressin me out and I'm trying to study and raise my ACT score so I apologize in advance for the lack of updating there will be from now until Feb. 9__th__ ._

By the time Layna made it to the vehicle, her vision was completely blurred by her tears. Her breaths were being taken in as wheezes and her body trembled with each uncontrollable sob that left her body. She threw herself into the driver's side and shut and locked the doors. Her hands shook so badly that she had to let them rest in her lap before attempting to insert the keys in the ignition.

A few stray gun shots radiated from the battle zone that she'd just left. The sound of them gave her the power to start the vehicle.

_I have to get back to Daryl and Gracie,_ Layna told herself. _We have got to get on the road._

She pulled back out onto the road, taking a few quick, nervous glances in the rear view mirror to make sure that she wasn't being followed. There was nothing and no one behind her, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"Matt's gone," she choked aloud. "Oh God, what the hell am I supposed to do now?"

It all felt like a nightmare. It'd been years since she'd had to see someone die at the hands of walkers. Matt's death reminded her of Dale's death at the farm. That night had been just as nightmarish and unexpected.

Danger was once again at every turn. People were going to die again. There wasn't really a way around it. Layna's stomach twisted into a knot as she flew down the roads she and Matt had just drove on. A few walkers staggered along the side of the road, only making her more and more uneasy at the growing danger that she, Daryl, and Gracie would now be treading through.

Layna reached over and began shoveling through the compartments and glove box with one hand as she remembered that Matt had been in the search of a map. She assumed that a map would make everything easier. At least then they wouldn't be driving around blindly. If they ran into trouble they could take one of the alternative routes that Matt had mentioned.

She eventually gave up and retired both of her hands back to the steering wheel.

"Dammitt," She cursed under her breath. "Highway 85 was a straight shot from here wasn't it?"

She nervously tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. Tremors were still coursing through her body and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

Layna took a few deep breaths as she tried to once again sort everything out.

"I can do this," she said softly. "Get back. Tell them. Get back on the road."

* * *

Daryl left Merle standing on the porch and walked back inside the house. He didn't offer any reconciliation to his brother. He let Merle stand there and talk until he just couldn't listen to him anymore. Gracie needed him more than Merle did. Gracie was completely oblivious to the emotional trauma that they had all endured, but she knew that there was something wrong.

Daryl walked back through the living room, anxious to get back to her. He felt bad as soon as he noticed Gracie. She was standing beside the table, looking into the living room as if she'd been scared by herself. She looked like she was torn between following them out or obeying his orders and staying put. Her hands were clasped together in front of her and her green eyes were wide.

His heart sank. Gracie shouldn't have ever been thrown in the middle of all that she had the past few days. She wasn't supposed to ever have to see Merle or be around all of the conflicting emotions that surrounded the whole situation. Most importantly, she wasn't supposed to be put in this kind of danger.

He walked over to her.

"Come on girl," Daryl held out his hand. Gracie placed her little hand in his without hesitation, but looked up at him with frightened but trusting eyes.

"Everythin's okay," he said softly.

Daryl squeezed her hand gently. It hurt him to see her scared and upset. He saw a little of himself in her scared and confused eyes. He couldn't even name how many times he'd felt like that as a child. When he was little, he hadn't understood why his dad was so angry or his mom was so upset and sick. Merle hadn't ever been there for him. He'd dealt with it alone and grew up fast, learning to deal with all of his family's problems on his own.

Gracie's bottom lip quivered a little, but she pressed her lips together tightly to stop it.

"C'mon," Daryl led Gracie out of the kitchen and into the living room.

He eased down onto the lumpy brown couch and Gracie climbed on beside him. She pulled her legs up on it and immediately snuggled into his side.

"When's momma coming back?" Gracie murmured into his shirt.

"In a little bit," Daryl answered her.

He hoped that he wasn't lying. With every second that passed by, he hated himself even more for allowing her to just walk away. He looked down at Gracie, snuggled beside him. Merle's conversation once again made him remember of all that they had been through and the simple fact that Gracie was his brother's daughter. There had been times when he, Gracie, and Layna were living together in the city that he'd forgotten Merle completely. Gracie was nothing like him. She'd inherited all of Layna's characteristics, but that didn't change that simple, crucial fact in the back of both he and Layna's minds.

Daryl couldn't keep his eyes from taking nervous glances at the wooden door, although he didn't expect Merle to come back in. Merle said he was leaving. The emotions that those words conjured inside of him confused him but also gave him a sense of strange relief. Daryl didn't want his brother to be around Layna or Gracie, but Merle's recently outpoured speech caught him off guard.

Daryl chewed at the inside of his cheek. It looked as though he and Merle would be separating once again. As much as Daryl hated him, the idea gave him a strange anxious feeling. Where was Merle going to go?

_Merle isn't a monster,_ Daryl reminded himself. He just made a lot of mistakes. All throughout childhood, Daryl went from hating his brother's guts to forgiving him over the stupid and unhealthy things he'd done. Now, Daryl couldn't bring himself to forgive and forget. His love for Layna and Gracie kept him from doing so. When Layna had been thrown into their lives, she'd changed everything. When Daryl finally decided to be completely there for Layna, not long after she'd found out she was pregnant, he'd felt like a traitor. Later, those feelings changed and he told himself that it had all happened for a reason. He told himself that Layna was there to make him finally put a stop to himself forgiving Merle's stupidity and letting his brother screw him over time and time again.

When Daryl had left him on the roof to save Layna and Sophia, the guilt had nearly eaten him alive. He'd tried to right his wrong by using Layna's advancing pregnancy as an excuse. It'd worked for a while.

Blood was supposed to be thicker than water though. Maybe that was why he still felt emotionally tied to Merle even after what he had done.

Merle's recent speech made him feel even conflicted. Did Merle really feel the extent of what he'd done. The question was, did Merle Dixon actually feel bad for what he had done? Merle never showed his emotions. He always acted unruly and uncaring, but what had Daryl just witnessed in the kitchen and out on the porch? He wasn't even sure. It was different and Daryl knew that Gracie had to have gotten to him. Merle had been right when he'd said that he kept having to stare his mistake right in the face.

Mistake.

The word hung in Daryl's mind for a while. Gracie wasn't the mistake. Daryl hadn't thought of her that way in a long time. He knew that Layna didn't think of her that way.

Merle seemed to be struggling with that. She was a mistake to him, but she was his child after all.

Daryl stared down at Gracie's curls. The jealousy that he'd felt from time to time was beginning to resurface. He loved Layna and he loved Gracie, but she wasn't really his. As much as he wished she had been, she just wasn't. It didn't change how much he cared about her. At first, he'd been scared to death that everything would go south. He'd been so scared that he wouldn't be able to love her, but luckily it hadn't been a problem. The only problem it caused was the jealously that it tacked on to him for Merle.

Daryl chewed at his thumbnail. It was time to just let Merle go. Blood didn't always have to be thicker than water, especially Dixon blood.

* * *

Layna threw open the door and stumbled out of the vehicle. She slammed it back shut and turned toward the house. Her oversized camouflage hat fell from her head, but she didn't bother to pick it up.

"What's goin on?"

Layna's stomach lurched at the sound of Merle's voice. She stopped in her tracks and nervously glanced toward the porch. Merle stood alone. His hand was propped on one of the porch posts as he looked out toward her.

"Where are they?" Layna demanded. Her voice was still shaky with raw emotion and her legs felt like rubber, but she continued toward the porch.

"Where's Matt?" he asked.

"Dead," she choked out.

"What?" Merle asked quickly.

Layna ignored him and hurried up the steps, trying her best to keep calm. Passing by his hulking figure did her no good.

"Hey girl. What the hell happened?" He demanded once again.

She held her breath, half expecting for him to reach out and grab her arm as she passed, but he didn't.

Layna burst through the door and slammed it back behind her, hoping that Merle wouldn't follow her in. She felt an immediate sense of relief as her eyes fell on Daryl and Gracie, sitting on the couch together. Daryl leapt up from the couch immediately. Gracie followed him and Layna covered her mouth to stifle a sob. She didn't want Gracie to see her upset, but she couldn't hold them in any longer. Daryl crossed the room quickly and before she knew it, she was wrapped in his arms. He pulled her tightly to his chest, and she let a few tears slip from her eyes.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Daryl asked nervously. He pulled her away from his chest to look at her. His hands moved down her shoulder, arms, and to her hands, turning them over in his before moving to her wrists and attempting to pull her sleeves up. All the while, he took nervous glances at her, studying her tear stained face.

"I didn't get bit," she choked out. "Matt did."

Daryl stopped. His eyes met hers. He looked as surprised as Merle had.

Layna leaned her face back into his chest. He let her lean all of her weight into him and kept her standing on her feet.

"I had to shoot him, Daryl," she murmured. She grasped the fabric of his shirt in her hands.

Daryl's hand gently met the back of her head, and she tried to explain.

"They sent a bunch of us out and he got bit before we could make it back to the vehicle. He begged me to shoot him," Layna whispered.

"Shhh. Ain't gotta talk about it," Daryl murmured.

Layna relaxed against him once again, thankful that her short explanation was good enough for the time being. She pressed her face against his chest, focusing on the beating of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. She felt safe, tangled in Daryl's arms with Gracie pressing herself against the both of them, trying her best to get as close to the both of them as she could.

Layna cringed as the door flung back open. She knew that Merle wouldn't stay outside for long.

"What the hell happened out there, Layna?" Merle demanded.

Layna pulled away from Daryl and started toward the kitchen. She didn't want to face Merle or even explain what had happened again, but Gracie caught her hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"Momma!" she said quickly. "Where's Matt? What happened? What's wrong?"

Layna froze. She looked from Merle and Daryl back to Gracie.

"He had to leave us baby," she murmured softly. She bit down on her bottom lip.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Merle demanded once again. "What'd ya'll get into out there?"

Layna started back toward the kitchen, but once again Gracie stuck to her side. Tears were beginning to slip from her eyes and she didn't want Gracie to see her crying.

"It's okay Gracie," Layna shakily insisted.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Merle roared. "What did ya'll find out back there? Who got him?"

"Just give me a minute," Layna squinted her eyes shut.

Gracie's grasp on Layna's shirt tail became tighter and she pulled at her, trying to get her attention once again.

"Please just give me a minute," Layna pleaded.

"Gracie," Daryl said softly.

"Daryl please just take her outside for a minute!" Layna pleaded desperately. "I just need a minute." She didn't mean for her voice to be so harsh, but her desperation showed itself. Daryl gently pulled Gracie away and picked her up off the floor.

Daryl looked overwhelmed. Layna could only imagine how much more confused he was than her.

"Let's go outside for a minute okay?" he said softly.

Layna headed into the kitchen as Daryl started outside with Gracie.

She covered her mouth to stifle another sob. She'd killed Matt. Now what was she supposed to tell Gracie? What were they supposed to do? Layna stood numbly, letting her eyes drift around the messy kitchen.

She allowed herself to look at the refrigerator in front of her. A single sheet of paper was stuck on by one of the few magnets.

It was Gracie's. Layna recognized the writing automatically. The drawing was like the many that hung on their refrigerator back in the city. A chill of emotion ravaged her body. She didn't want Gracie to see her so upset, but now she felt terrible for acting so cold to her. It had been bad enough that Gracie had seen her crying the night before after talking with Matt.

Layna took a deep breath and let it out.

"I'm stronger than this," she murmured softly. "Just calm down."

_What had Matt said? Where had he said that they needed to go?_ _Highway 85? _She tried to recall the conversation they'd had, but she kept seeing images of Matt's broken body flashing through her mind.

A creak tore Layna's eyes away from the refrigerator. She whirled around and froze. Merle stopped as soon as she turned. He was halfway in the kitchen and his eyes were focused on hers.

"What the hell do you want?" Layna asked coldly. She brought the sleeve of her army camouflage top to wipe her face. Her teary eyes stung, but she couldn't cry anymore. Her throat ached and her cheeks burned from the salty tears that had already streamed down her face.

Merle didn't move, but he didn't speak either. His presence alone was revolting, making Layna's stomach knot even tighter. It happened every time she saw him, and never got easier.

Layna gritted her teeth together as a wave of anger washed over her, taking the place of the fear and uncertainty she felt.

"What do you want now? You wanna sell me off to somebody else? Found another customer?" She asked angrily.

Merle diverted his gaze to the floor. He didn't appear to be angry, and it only fueled Layna's courage.

"You don't know what I just had to fuckin do. I shot him. I shot Matt!" she exploded. "So what the hell do you want now?"

"I know," Merle finally spoke. "That's what Daryl said ya said."

Layna stared back at him numbly. There was no use talking to him. He was unaffected by whatever she said, and never seemed to back down or act the least bit conflicted over all that had happened between the two of them.

"Please just leave me alone," Much to Layna's dismay, her voice sounded weak and vulnerable. She turned from Merle and pressed her back against the cool metal of the refrigerator door. She prayed that he would just leave. He was her main problem. She'd already dealt with death and walkers. It was nothing new. It was Merle that kept her on edge. Every moment that she spent with him made her feel a million times worse. It brought her back in time to areas of her life she didn't want to relive.

"I just spent the passed few hours listening to that little girl," Merle said softly.

Layna slowly turned her head back to face him. His words struck a cord within her, sending her right back on edge. Nausea hit her hard.

"What were you doing? You're supposed to stay the hell away from her!" she spat coldly.

"Look. I don't expect you to forgive me, and I know that you're probably wishin that was me laid out with a bullet in my brain," Merle rasped. His tone didn't sound like an apology, and his face was still cold and unemotional.

"Don't even talk to me. Shut the hell up," Layna said quickly. "You can't even pretend to apologize now."

"Well I did. Take it or leave it." Merle said simply.

"That wasn't an apology," she muttered. "How can you even try to apologize for that?"

Layna shuddered as a tremble of emotion overtook her tired body. She once again diverted her gaze from his uncomfortable one, focusing her eyes on the wall in front of her instead. The thought of him thinking back to what had happened, probably reliving that day just as she was made her cringe.

"I was gonna leave. I already told Daryl I was. It's hard for me to stay here too ya know."

"Okay go," she said quickly. "We don't want you here. Daryl doesn't either."

"I can't now."

"What?" Layna snapped. "What the hell do you want now?"

"I'm not leaving Daryl to protect ya'll on his on. Ain't safe."

Layna squinted back at him. _Was it a sick joke?_

"Oh now you want me protected? Funny how just yesterday you had me in the line of fire," the words tumbled out of her mouth.

Merle rubbed his face tiredly before bringing his eyes back up to meet hers.

"And you're gonna keep me safe?" Layna added angrily. "Because you've done that right? You've had my safety on your mind this whole damn time."

Merle stayed still. He watched her, making her realize that his silence was more uncomfortable than his usual smart ass, rude, or threatening comments. When he was silent, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. The very thought made her nervous, more nervous than usual.

"You don't care about me and you don't care about her. Quit fooling yourself," Layna added quickly. Her voice cracked and she stopped to attempt and swallow back the lump in her throat.

"I've done everything in the world wrong. Let me at least do one damn thing right!" Merle yelled.

Layna flinched as he raised his voice. She couldn't help how she shrank back whenever he did.

"As soon as we get back to safety, wherever the hell that'll be. I'll disappear," he lowered his voice a little. A strange fleck of sincerity seemed to reside in his last statement, leaving Layna confused but no less distraught over their conversation.

"How many times have you disappeared and came back?" Layna asked coldly. She dropped her eyes back to the floor. She awaited his response nervously. This was the first and longest conversation that she'd ever held with him, and it took all she had to do it. Trying her best to remain calm was nearly as bad and testing as when she'd killed Matt. As she stood before him, she felt as if her skin crawled. His eyes were the same cold, but interested ones that she couldn't make herself forget. Just having him look at her made her fell sick. She remembered his wild eyes trailing over her body. All he'd done to her proved that he hadn't cared for her at all then. _How could he care now? _She thought. _He doesn't, _she reminded herself.

"Hell, I don't want nothing to happen to that little girl either alright? People change ya know," Merle said.

"You haven't. How the hell could you change?" Layna asked softly. Her vision blurred with the tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them away, accidentally letting a few more slip. Her sleeve caught them and wiped them away. Embarrassment flushed her cheeks. _How could one person make her crumple under pressure and fall apart like he did?_

"You don't know a thing about me," Merle muttered.

"You don't understand and you never will!" Layna shrieked. She faced him again and pointed her finger at him, allowing all of her frustration to leave her. "It's not all about you!"

"I didn't say it was," Merle snapped.

"It's about her!" Layna pointed toward the living room.

"Fair enough," Merle muttered. "Yell at me if that's what ya need to do."

"Believe me I want to do far worse than yell at you," Layna gritted through her teeth. The shape of her pistol tucked into the waistband of her pants was brought to her attention as she shifted her hips.

"I deserve it. I know," Merle said.

Layna stayed frozen. She stared back at him and he stared back at her.

It was the face that had plagued her nightmares and thoughts for years, long after she'd though he had died.

"I just wanted to tell you I know now. I know what a mess I made-"

"No you don't," Layna interrupted him. "And what's made you think that you've turned over a new leaf all of a sudden? Huh?"

She glared back at him, waiting for him to erupt again at the raise of her voice, but he didn't. He looked down at the ground and his hand slipped into his pocket."Gracie," he said softly. He pulled a folded up piece of paper out of his pocket. "She talked to me. She drew me a picture."

"She draws everybody pictures," Layna snapped.

"She talked to me like I was her friend or something. I don't deserve her attention, but she talked to me," he slipped the paper back in his pocket.

"So what are you saying?" Layna muttered. "Just because she talked to you doesn't mean a damn thing."

"Maybe not to you," he said simply. "And maybe not to her it don't mean a damn thing."

"So you're just gonna sit here and try to tell me that you feel bad now just because she talked to you?" she asked coolly.

"And you. I feel bad standing here lookin at you."

Layna dropped her eyes back to the floor. "Oh me? That's funny."

"It's been over five years," Merle muttered. "We've gotta figure something out."

"I'm not having this conversation," Layna snapped. "Get the hell outta here."

"I'm not proud of what I did. I'm admitting right now that I was fuckin wrong!" Merle raised his voice once again. "I've tried to talk to Daryl and now I'm tryin to talk to you. What's it gonna take?"

"Leave or I'm calling Daryl," Layna said desperately.

"Layna," Merle gritted through his teeth. He took a few steps closer, minimizing the space between them but maximizing the anxiety that she felt.

Layna stared back into his face, unable to make herself move. She all but turned to stone in front of him.

"Why'd you do it?" she blurted out nervously as she finally took a quick step back. "You can't stand here and pretend to feel guilty. Why are you doing this? Why don't you just leave."

Layna's skin tingled as goose bumps trailed over her skin. Merle was still staring at her and Layna could feel her courage slipping away.

"I'm gonna call Daryl," she said once again.

"What's he gonna do? Yell at me some more?" Merle asked coldly. "I do feel guilty," he said slowly.

"Don't lie to me. You don't feel guilty at all. You didn't know me and I didn't know you. I didn't do anything to you!" Layna shrieked. "I was running for my life out in the woods. I was all alone. What part of that made it okay? That I was alone? That the world had pretty much ended as we knew it?"

"Layna-"

"I'll tell you what. None of it made it okay!" Layna interrupted him again.

"Shut up!" he hissed. He crossed the space in between them in less than a second, sending Layna stepping back until the door of the refrigerator met her back, stopping her.

"Daryl!" she said quickly.

Merle raised his hand. "Just let me say what I've gotta say dammit!"

Layna sank back once again, but her hand crept up to the pistol at her waistband. She nearly pulled it out, but stopped herself. Their bodies were only inches apart now. She trembled a little, but he didn't seem to notice. His eyes were locked on hers.

Tears formed in her eyes, but she stared back at him, doing everything in her power to try and keep the tears from slipping away.

Merle cringed. He looked down, breaking eye contact with her before he took a few steps back.

"Just listen to me," he murmured. "Daryl loves ya and that little girl does too. It makes me feel even more like shit. There's obviously something special about ya. No girl has ever gotten Daryl's attention and kept it like you have. And you actually took care of her. You kept her."

"What did you think I was going to do? There was nothing I could do," Layna said shakily after a few minutes.

"I don't know," he muttered. "I guess I'm just surprised."

"About what?" Layna's tone quickly turned back to one of aggravation.

"That I have a kid. She's perfect.

"Don't…You can't possibly use that to try and make what you did okay," Layna once again felt pure disgust at the way he handled the situation.

"I don't. But I can't take it back can I? Find me a fuckin time machine why don't ya," Merle turned away from her and looked out into the living room.

Layna didn't respond. She eased her weight off the refrigerator and turned back to focus her red, puffy eyes on the heart that Gracie had drawn.

"Besides, Daryl told me why she was so perfect…" Merle trailed off.

"Stop," she murmured softly.

"Because of you. But I already knew that. If she was like me we'd all be in trouble."

"Shut the hell up," Layna whimpered.

"Okay," Merle said simply. "Say that I don't care about her and that I don't care about you but you don't know a fuckin thing. I've changed. I was stupid. It was a long time ago."

"You had my kid for God sakes. You can't sit here and say you know how I feel," he snapped.

Layna lowered her face into her hands. "Please just shut up," she stammered.

"I'm not finished," he muttered. "Just do me one thing."

Layna turned away from the refrigerator and back to face him. She let her hands slide from her face, but rubbed her neck tiredly and nervously.

"Don't ever tell her. Forget about me and make Daryl too."

Layna relaxed a little. She felt her shoulders sag and she let out the uneasy breath that she'd been holding.

"My brother will take care of her. Dary's always been like that. He looks like he's doin a good job. She doesn't need to fuckin know."

"You really think I'd tell her?" Layna murmured. "Why the hell would I do that? Why would I turn her life upside down too?"

Merle shook his head. "That's what I did huh? Turned your life upside down. Of course I did. Young pretty girl, still had her whole life ahead of her."

He squinted his eyes shut and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Just take care of Daryl. He needs ya. Ya'll deserve each other. He deserves you, and If you really like him then you deserve him too. I ain't standing in ya'll's way. Don't want to."

Layna stared back at him blankly, letting his words sink in.

"I don't want to stay here, and I know that ya'll don't want me too, but I gotta. If something happened to that little girl in there….Or if something happened to you…Daryl would fall apart. That little girl in there shouldn't even be here in this screwed up world," he murmured. "That's my fault."

"You're not making this any easier," Layna stammered.

Merle opened his mouth to say something, but Layna diverted her gaze to Daryl, stepping through the kitchen doorway. Gracie was at his side.

"We can't keep going like this," Daryl muttered.

Merle turned but didn't say anything.

"No we can't," Layna said softly.

* * *

Daryl stared back at Layna and Merle. He hadn't expected to see Merle in the kitchen with Layna. He'd caught the last few words that Merle had said. It sounded like an attempt at an apology.

Daryl wasn't even sure what he meant or what he was hinting on when he said they couldn't go on the way they were. Did he mean the arguing? Did he mean the anguish?

"Please stop yelling," Gracie raised her usually soft voice. She slipped her hand from his. Tears were streaming down her face.

Daryl once again felt his heart crumble into a million pieces. He reached out to touch her arm, but Gracie pulled away.

The kitchen fell silent, only adding to the awkward and emotional tension as everyone stared at Gracie.

"She's right," Merle rasped. "Matt's gone and we've gotta go. Can't sit around arguing about shit we can't change."

"We can't keep doing this around her," Daryl murmured. "She ain't supposed to grow up around this kind of shit."

"Just blame me and move on," Merle growled. He brushed past Daryl and Gracie and left the kitchen.

Daryl took the opportunity of silence to look at Layna. She met his eyes briefly before she broke their gaze to wipe her eyes.

Daryl watched Layna walk over to Gracie. She knelt down and pulled Gracie into her arms.

"We're done yellin baby," she said softly. "We're about to go home now. I'm so sorry."

Gracie let Layna pull her close. Layna ran a hand through Gracie's hair with one hand and rubbed her back comfortingly with the other.

Daryl met her eyes over Gracie's shoulder. Her pretty face still looked pained and her eyes looked blood shot. He was at a loss for words and completely confused. He stayed still as Layna hugged Gracie.

"I love you so much baby. We're all just scared and tired," Layna murmured.

"I'm scared too," Gracie said quickly.

"Don't be scared," Layna said. "We're gonna take care of you."

When she finally pulled away from her daughter, she slipped her hand in hers and led her over to where he was standing.

"Daryl. If it wasn't for ya'll, I'd just give up," she murmured as soon as she stepped in front of him.

Daryl stared down at her sad face. He wanted to know what had happened while they were out, but he couldn't bring himself to ask. Matt was gone, but at least Layna had come back to him. He also wanted to know what kind of effect Merle's speech had on her. _Had he said the same things that he'd told him?_

"We need you, Layna. What about the plan? Where are we going?" He asked softly.

"Highway 85 I think. Or 185 if we have to," Layna murmured. "Matt looked at a map. Do you think that we could find one? It might come in handy."

"We can try," Daryl said.

"Good. We need to more though because they were going to start sending more people out. There was a lot of walkers though. Might've held them up a little."

"What was Merle saying?" Daryl asked.

Layna closed her eyes and shook her head. She kept her lips pursed tightly.

"I'm sorry Layna," Daryl said softly.

Layna opened her eyes again. She reached up and gently touched his cheek. Her slight touch brought waves of emotion over his skin.

"I wish that you wouldn't have ever ran into us in the woods. That way you wouldn't have run into Merle," he said instinctively.

She looked back up at him for a few seconds. Her hands dropped down and found his. She intertwined their fingers and let their hands fall back to their sides.

"I might have died if I hadn't," Layna finally said softly. "I wouldn't have you. We wouldn't have Gracie."

Daryl winced at her words. After all she'd been through she still didn't necessarily regret it all.

"I'm so ready for things to get back to normal. Just me, you, and Gracie," she said quickly. "And I wanna find the others. Lori, Rick, Carl, Maggie, Glen, and all of em."

"We'll find em," Daryl said softly.

He leaned in a pressed his lips against hers. Layna kissed him back gently but passionately. He could fell how tired and emotionally drained she was.

"I'm putting all our shit back in the vehicle. We gotta fuckin go," Merle said from the living room.

Layna pulled away from him at the sound of Merle's voice. He could still feel the taste and feel of her lips on his.

A strange sense of calm fell over Daryl at the realization that Merle was going to stay with them. Now, there was a possibility that they might actually need him. He'd thought about that as he stood outside with Gracie. Him staying meant dealing with the tension between them, but it might also mean getting Gracie and Layna back to safety. Now that Matt was gone, who was to say that they wouldn't need another hand? He knew only time would tell how Merle would continue to act, and he'd by lying if he said that he wasn't at least a little nervous.

"Are you gonna be okay?" he asked. He studied her dark blue, emotion filled eyes as he savored her taste on his lips.

She nodded slowly. "I have to be."

"It's all gonna be over soon," Daryl murmured. He leaned down and kissed the top of Layna's head softly.

"I know," she murmured. "Let's just go."

_Please Review!_


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